Centre Reviews Malaria Elimination Push, Focus on 33 High-Burden Districts

The Union Health Ministry has convened a high-level review to accelerate India's progress towards eliminating malaria by 2030, with a sharp focus on the 33 districts that continue to account for a disproportionate share of the disease burden.

According to official data reviewed at the meeting, India recorded a nearly 80% decline in malaria cases and deaths between 2015 and 2025. The number of high-burden districts has fallen from 155 to 33 during this period. Notably, 160 districts reported zero indigenous malaria cases between 2022 and 2025, indicating sustained interruption of local transmission.

However, the 33 high-burden districts, spread across nine states and Union Territories, still contributed to 64% of all malaria cases and 54% of malaria deaths reported in 2025. Detailed state-wise reviews were conducted for Mizoram, Odisha, Tripura, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra.

Aradhana Patnaik, Additional Secretary and Mission Director of the National Health Mission, chaired the review and stressed the need for focused, area-specific strategies. She emphasised the effective implementation of District Action Plans in all high-burden districts and Village Action Plans in high-burden villages, tailored to local epidemiological and geographical conditions.

The meeting highlighted the critical importance of early detection and complete treatment, with delays in diagnosis identified as a key factor in malaria deaths. States were advised to strengthen the 'Test, Treat and Track' strategy, boost active surveillance, and ensure uninterrupted availability of diagnostics and anti-malarial drugs, especially in hard-to-reach areas.

Surveillance data quality was also a key concern. States were advised to review unusually high Annual Blood Examination Rates (ABER) to identify duplicate testing and repeated entries. Asymptomatic cases detected through mass screening should be reported separately and excluded from API and ABER calculations for accurate programme assessment.

Patnaik underscored the need for intersectoral convergence, noting that health interventions alone cannot address factors like water-logging and environmental management. States were advised to coordinate with Rural Development, Urban Development, and Panchayati Raj Institutions for vector-control measures. Greater engagement of Self-Help Groups and community volunteers was encouraged for early fever reporting and identification of mosquito breeding sites.

The meeting was attended by senior health ministry officials, state mission directors, district collectors, and district malaria officers.