Malaria
Why it Matters?
India is targeting malaria elimination by 2030, leveraging next-gen vaccines, local innovation, and integrated public health strategies amid persistent challenges from asymptomatic carriers and drug-resistant parasites.
What You Should Know?
Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites and transmitted through bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, as well as through blood transfusions and contaminated needles.
Five species infect humans: P. falciparum (most deadly), P. vivax (relapse-prone), P. malariae, P. ovale, and P. knowlesi.
High-risk groups include infants, children under 5, pregnant women, travellers to endemic regions, and people living with HIV/AIDS.
Symptoms usually appear 10–15 days after the bite, starting with fever, chills, and headache, and can progress to seizures, jaundice, difficulty breathing, and unconsciousness.
Preventive methods include using mosquito nets, repellents with DEET or Icaridin, protective clothing, window screens, and chemoprophylaxis for travellers.
Key vector control strategies are insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS); resistance to insecticides is a growing concern.
WHO approved RTS,S/AS01 in 2021 and R21/Matrix-M in 2023 for children in high-transmission areas.
WHO's Global Technical Strategy for Malaria (2016–2030) targets a 90% reduction in incidence and mortality, elimination in 35 countries, and prevention of resurgence in malaria-free nations.
India:
India reduced its malaria burden by over 80% between 2015 and 2023.
India faces a dual species burden of P. falciparum and P. vivax.
New vaccines like RTS,S, R21, and India’s AdFalciVax show promise, though current options target limited parasite stages.
Innovations like transmission-blocking vaccines, mRNA platforms, gene drives, and P. vivax-specific tools are key to achieving the 2030 malaria elimination goal.