India records largest reductions in Malaria cases in South-East Asia – WHO

INDIA: India made impressive gains in the global fight against malaria, recording the largest reduction in cases in South-East Asia from 20 million in 2000 to about 5.6 million last year, according to the World Health Organisation.

The World Malaria Report 2020, released on Monday, said that in 2019, malaria cases globally numbered about 229 million, an annual estimate that has remained virtually unchanged over the last four years.

Last year, the disease claimed about 4,09,000 lives, compared to 4,11,000 in 2018.

“Countries in South-East Asia made particularly strong progress, with reductions in cases and deaths of 73% and 74%, respectively. India contributed to the largest drop in cases region-wide — from approximately 20 million to about 6 million,” WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in the report’s forward.

The report said that the WHO South-East Asia Region accounted for about 3% of the burden of malaria cases globally.

Malaria cases reduced by 73% in the region, from 23 million in 2000 to about 6.3 million in 2019.

The WHO noted the impressive gains made by India in the fight against malaria, with reductions in cases and deaths of 18% and 20%, respectively, over the last two years.

India also recorded a decrease in the number of deaths from malaria between 2000 and 2019. Malaria deaths in India declined from about 29,500 in 2000 to about 7,700 last year, the report said. – THE HINDU