India’s Progress and Challenges in Achieving Malaria Elimination by 2030

Context:
India aims to eliminate malaria by 2030 under the National Framework for Malaria Elimination (2016–2030). Significant progress has been made, but challenges such as migration, drug resistance, and urban transmission persist.

Key Highlights:

• Progress Achieved

• 80% reduction in malaria cases (2015–2023).
• 160 districts across 23 States/UTs reported zero indigenous cases (2022–2024).
• India exited WHO’s High Burden to High Impact Group (2024).
• Tamil Nadu: cases reduced from 5,587 (2015) to 321 (2025).

• WHO Certification Criteria

• Zero local transmission for 3 consecutive years.
• Functional surveillance system required.

• Current Burden

• India accounts for 73.3% of 2.7 million cases in WHO South-East Asia Region (2024).
• Only Tripura & Mizoram have API >1 (2023).

Relevant Prelims Points:

• Annual Parasite Incidence (API):
  • Number of confirmed malaria cases per 1,000 population.
• Plasmodium Species:
  • P. falciparum (severe)
  • P. vivax (relapse due to liver hypnozoites)
• Vector: Female Anopheles mosquito.
• WHO Malaria Elimination Certification:
  • Interruption of indigenous transmission.

Relevant Mains Points:

• Governance & Public Health Strategy:
  • National Strategic Plan (2023–2027):
    • Surveillance transformation
    • Universal diagnosis and treatment
    • Vector control strengthening
• Challenges:
  • Migration from endemic to low-endemic areas.
  • Drug resistance in parasites.
  • Insecticide resistance in mosquitoes.
  • Urban malaria due to rapid urbanization.
• Science & Technology Role:
  • Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs).
  • GIS-based surveillance.
  • Genomic monitoring of resistance.
• Equity Dimension:
  • Tribal and forested areas remain hotspots.
  • Need targeted interventions.

Way Forward:

• Strengthen cross-border malaria surveillance.
• Ensure radical cure compliance for P. vivax.
• Invest in urban vector management systems.
• Integrate malaria control into primary healthcare strengthening.

UPSC Relevance:
GS Paper 2 – Governance (Health Policy)
GS Paper 3 – Environment & Science (Vector-borne diseases)
Prelims Focus: API, Plasmodium species, WHO certification norms