India is on the path to end Malaria by 2030 — but dengue is spreading fast and wide

• Malaria deaths decline by 40% in 2018, says WHO report.
• India also saw decline in malaria cases by 28% between 2017 and 2018.
• India is building momentum to end malaria by 2030.
  

In 2019, as many as 27 people died in West Bengal due to dengue outbreaks which affected 44,000 people.

Even as vector borne diseases are plaguing the country, India is on the right path when it comes to Malaria. According to a WHO report, Malaria deaths reduced by 40% to 9,620 in 2018 from 16,733 in 2017. It is also building momentum to end malaria by 2030.

“India must be applauded for its sustained effort against malaria. While we have come a long way, sustained focus and increased funding are crucial to boost India’s fight against malaria and ensure that India continues to lead the world and becomes malaria-free by 2030.” said Dr. Sanjeev Gaikwad, country director of Malaria No More India, an NGO.

The cases of Malaria also reduced by 28% within the year. It was one of the only two countries in the world to reduce them, the other being South Africa. In most other areas of the world, the number of malaria deaths are still at “unacceptably high levels”, the report says.

India accounts for 3% of total malaria cases, and 2% malaria deaths in the world. Over the last two decades, India reduced the number of Malaria cases by more than half and malaria deaths by two-thirds.

However, yet another disease spread by mosquitoes — Dengue — is spreading fast. This year, until October, India registered 67,377 dengue cases and 48 deaths due to the disease.