By Health In Five Writer
“Not only diagnosis and treatment, swachhta in our personal and community surroundings and social awareness regarding Malaria control and prevention are equally important in our collective fight against Malaria and for meeting our goal of elimination of Malaria from the country by 2030”. This was stated by Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya during his address to commemorate World Malaria Day 2022. “The need is to emphasize progressive strengthening of health care delivery system and improve multi-sectoral coordination and collaboration”, he stressed.
Every year, 25th April is observed as ‘World Malaria Day’. This year’s theme is “Harness innovation to reduce the global malaria disease burden and save lives.”
Dr. Mandaviya called for prioritization of malaria elimination through national and sub-national efforts. He emphasized that leveraging technology and innovation will help in developing tailor-made solutions to advance India’s malaria elimination plan and contribute to improved health, quality of life and alleviation of poverty. He added that ground level frontline healthcare workers including the ASHAs, ANMs along with partner organizations need to work in tandem for creating mass awareness about diagnosis, timely and effective treatment and vector control measures. He further suggested that the private sector including the private practitioners need to align their malaria case management and reporting and related activities with the national program. “As we move ahead with innovative technology use, India’s “e-sanjeevani” has shown the pathway for tele-consultation and tele-referencing which are being widely used at the round levels for diagnosis and treatment of various healthcare problems including malaria”, he stated.
The Union Health Minister also detailed the success made in malaria elimination. “India has made remarkable progress in reducing the malaria incidence and deaths. Our efforts have resulted in 86.45% decline in malaria cases and 79.16% reduction in malaria related deaths in 2021 as compared to 2015. 124 districts in the country have reported ‘zero malaria case’’. This is a major step towards our goal for elimination of malaria but still more needs be done to fulfil the dream of Malaria Free India, Dr.Mandaviya said.
Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Bharti Pravin Pawar highlighted that, “Work is going on a mission mode towards eliminating Malaria by 2030. The Union Government is working with the State Governments on the ground level to reduce the burden of Malaria, including on infrastructure improvement and laboratory support”. She emphasized that if more effort is put in testing and treatment, India will achieve the dream of Malaria eradication by 2030.
In order to raise awareness among general public, railway stations at New Delhi, Lucknow, Bhubaneswar and Nagpur will be illuminated in hues of orange and purple to observe World Malaria Day 2022.
A manual on Integrated Vector Management 2022 was released on this occasion. The dignitaries took a pledge to adhere to appropriate behaviour and practices to eliminate Malaria by 2030, in time with the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals. States doing exemplary work on malaria elimination were also felicitated.
Shri Rajesh Bhushan, Union Health Secretary; Shri. Vikas Sheel, AS & MD (NHM); Dr Harmeet Singh Grewal, JS (MoHFW); Dr Atul Goel, Director General of Health Services; Dr Sujeet Singh, Director, NCDC; Dr Tanu Jain, Director, NCVBDC; and other senior officials also attended the event. Dr Roderic Ofrin, WHO Representative to India was also present.
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