India’s Malaria caseload, deaths fall by 69% each in 6 years

Context: India has finally managed to control malaria, reduce mortality and has
gotten out of the High-Burden-High-Impact (HBHI) group of endemic countries,
according to the World Malaria Report released on Wednesday. India reduced its
malaria caseload by 69 per cent from 6.4 million in 2017 to 2 million in 2023.
Similarly, the estimated malaria deaths registered a 69 per cent decrease from
11,100 to 3500 during the same period. Every year, the report serves as a vital
tool to evaluate global progress and gaps in the fight against malaria. It
provides a snapshot of efforts to control and eliminate the disease in 83
countries.

Key points

·      
Overview: Recent advancements in
malaria prevention have shifted focus from genetically modified mosquitoes to
genetically modified malaria-causing parasites. This innovative approach aims
to enhance immune system priming during the liver stage of the parasite's life
cycle, potentially leading to more effective malaria vaccines.

·      
Genetically Modified Parasites: Malaria causing
parasites were genetically altered to study their behaviour, prevent diseases,
or deliver treatments. They are designed to prime the immune system in the
liver, preventing disease before entering the bloodstream.

Trial Efficacy - In the trial conducted, 89%
of participants exposed to late-arresting genetically modified parasites (p
falciparum, in this case) were protected from malaria compared to only 13% for
early arresting parasites.

Comparison with Traditional Methods - Traditional
methods, such as radiation-sterilized mosquitoes and radiation-attenuated
sporozoites (the infective stage of malaria parasites), require significantly
higher exposures (up to 1,000 mosquito bites) for similar protection levels.

·      
Malaria: Malaria, a life-threatening
disease caused by Plasmodium parasites, is transmitted by female Anopheles
mosquitoes. Of the five species infecting humans, P. falciparum and P. vivax
are the most dangerous. After biting an infected person, a mosquito transmits
malaria parasites to the next person it bites. The parasites travel to the
liver, mature, and then infect red blood cells.

·      
Highlights of Malaria in India: According to
the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), malaria remains a
significant public health challenge in India, with approximately 1 million
cases reported annually. Approximately 95% of the population lives in
malaria-endemic regions, with 80% of cases occurring in tribal, hilly, and
inaccessible areas that house 20% of the population. In 2022, India represented
66% of malaria cases in the WHO South-East Asia Region, with Plasmodium vivax
responsible for nearly 46% of these cases.

·      
Global Initiatives: World Malaria
Day – 25th April (launched in 2007), WHO Global Malaria Programme (GMP)
(launched in 2015).

·      
Government Initiatives Related to Malaria: National
Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) – 1953, National Vector-Borne Disease Control
Programme – 2003, Malaria Elimination Research Alliance-India (MERA-India) –
Launched on the eve of ‘World Malaria Day’ in 2019. National Strategic Plan:
Malaria Elimination 2023-27.