India has made significant strides in the battle against malaria, achieving a 69% reduction in both malaria cases and deaths, according to the latest World Malaria Report released by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The report highlights that India officially exited the high burden high incidence (HBHI) category in 2024 due to substantial progress in reducing malaria cases and fatalities, especially in high-endemic states.
Between 2017 and 2023, India saw a remarkable decline in malaria, with reported cases falling from 6.4 million to 2 million, a 69% drop. Similarly, the number of malaria-related deaths decreased from 11,100 to 3,500, marking a 68% reduction.
credit: new india insights
Despite these advancements, India still accounts for approximately half of the malaria cases in the South-East Asia region. In 2023, the WHO’s South-East Asia region, which includes eight malaria-endemic countries, reported 4 million cases, with India contributing to half of these figures.
Over the past two decades, India has made remarkable progress. From 2000 to 2023, the country’s malaria cases dropped by 82.4%, from 22.8 million to just 2 million, and the incidence rate declined by 87%, from 17.7 to 2.3 cases per 1,000 population at risk. The overall reduction is primarily attributed to significant gains in India, where estimated cases fell by 17.7 million, and incidence rates decreased by 93%.
The WHO report also acknowledged the efforts of community health workers in India, particularly women, who have been instrumental in reaching remote and underserved populations, significantly contributing to the reduction in malaria cases and deaths. These workers have created supportive environments, especially for female patients who face social and cultural barriers to accessing healthcare services from male providers.
In terms of prevention strategies, India saw a reduction in the number of people protected by Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS), with 30 million fewer individuals protected by IRS in 2023 compared to the previous year. Despite this decline, the coverage rate for those targeted by IRS remained high, reaching 88.4%.
However, challenges persist, as the 11 high-burden countries, excluding India, still account for the majority of global malaria cases and deaths, with 66% of the global malaria burden and 68% of malaria-related deaths. The WHO report notes that while progress is being made, the global malaria death toll remained high at 597,000 in 2023, up from 578,000 in 2015. The report expresses concern that global progress toward the 2030 targets of the Global Technical Strategy (GTS) remains off track.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, emphasized the need for greater investments and action in high-burden countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where the disease continues to disproportionately affect young children and pregnant women. “No one should die of malaria,” he stated, stressing the importance of expanding access to life-saving tools and ensuring targeted action in regions where the disease burden remains high.
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