The latest World Malaria Report 2024, released by the World Health Organization (WHO), celebrates India’s significant progress
Just 83 people died in India of malaria in 2023, signifying the impressive strides that the country has made in its efforts to control incidence of the vector borne disease. The World Malaria Report 2024 shows that India is now out of WHO’s group of high burden countries.
Malaria cases and deaths have dropped by around 80% from 2015-2023, with cases going down from 11,69,261 in 2015 to 2,27,564 in 2023, while deaths falling from 384 to just 83. This dramatic decline reflects the relentless efforts to combat the disease. Simultaneously, intensified surveillance efforts have led to a significant rise in the Annual Blood Examination Rate (ABER), increasing from 9.58 (2015) to 11.62 (2023). This strengthened surveillance has ensured early detection, timely intervention, and more effective treatment.
From 2015 to 2023, numerous states have transitioned from the higher-burden category to the significantly lower or zero-burden category. In 2015, 10 States and Union Territories were classified as high burden (Category2), of these, in 2023 only two states (Mizoram & Tripura) remain in Category 3, whereas 4 states such as Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Meghalaya, have reduced the case-load and moved to Category 2. Also, the other 4 States, namely, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli have significantly reduced the caseload and moved to Category 1 in 2023.
In 2015 only 15 states were in Category 1, whereas in 2023, 24 states and UTs (progressed from high/medium-burden categories to Category 1, reporting an API of less than 1 case per 1000 population). As of 2023 Ladakh, Lakshadweep and Puducherry are in Category 0 i.e. zero indigenous Malaria cases. These areas are now eligible for subnational verification of malaria elimination. Additionally, in 2023, 122 districts across various states reported zero malaria cases, which demonstrates the efficacy of targeted interventions.
