Syllabus: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health
Context and Regional Overview
- World Malaria Report 2025 presented mixed outcomes ahead of the 2030 elimination deadline.
- Southeast Asia recorded declining cases, while resistance and funding constraints raised serious concerns.
- Estimated malaria cases in Asia-Pacific declined from 9.6 million in 2023 to 8.9 million in 2024.
- Ten of 17 malaria-endemic countries contributed most to the regional reduction.
Regional Successes and Collaborative Platforms
- Historic lows reported in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Vietnam for the second consecutive year.
- Pakistan recorded major reductions, driving a significant portion of regional progress.
- Greater Mekong Subregion highlighted for effective containment of antimalarial drug resistance.
- Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance (APLMA) unites 22 governments committed to elimination by 2030.
- Several countries achieved malaria-free status, including Sri Lanka, China, and Timor-Leste.
India’s Elimination Pathway
- India targets zero indigenous malaria cases by 2027, ahead of the global deadline.
- Substantial reductions since 2015, with many districts sustaining zero transmission.
- Recent data indicates plateauing progress and case rebounds in certain regions.
- Five States and the Northeast account for nearly 80% of India’s malaria burden.
Key Threats and Systemic Challenges
- Only 42% of global malaria financing needs met in 2024, with deeper gaps in 2025.
- Last-mile programme delivery remains weak in high-burden and remote settings.
- Rising global resistance to artemisinin-based therapies, though not established in India.
- Vulnerable groups include migrant populations and geographically isolated communities.
Strategic Priorities and Innovations
- Real-time, case-based surveillance across public, private, defence, and urban health systems.
- Project-mode interventions for hotspot States, while near-elimination regions prevent resurgence.
- RTS,S and R21 vaccines evaluated as complementary tools alongside vector control and diagnostics.
- India strengthened pharmacovigilance, therapeutic efficacy studies, and combination therapy adherence.
- Sustained national investment essential to avoid resurgence, productivity losses, and preventable mortality.