There are substantially fewer malaria-endemic districts in India, Minister of State for Health Ashwini Choubey informed lawmakers last week. In 2016, the Government identified 132 malaria-endemic districts in the country. In 2018, this number had been reduced to 63. 429,928 malaria cases were recorded in the country last year, the Minister informed MPs in a […]
Mosquito
‘Progress has slowed down’ – The World Malaria Report and what it means for India
Earlier this year, experts said that a malaria-free world was possible with a bold approach from stakeholders. The most recent World Malaria Report has reinforced the importance of such measures to be undertaken as officials warn that the stagnation in efforts to tackle malaria is “unacceptably high.” “The world has shown that progress can be […]
Mosquito sterilisation to curb disease?
A number of agencies are investigating mosquito-sterilisation as a technique to curb the spread of vector-borne diseases. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations’s Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), and the World Health Organization (WHO) are partnering to explore the sterile insect […]
Lymphatic filariasis: Can India eliminate it?
At the beginning of October, the island nation of Kiribati announced that it had eliminated lymphatic filariasis. By 2021, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has pledged that India will do the same. What is lymphatic filariasis? Lymphatic filariasis, or elephantiasis, is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) that attacks the lymphatic system. It is caused […]
Dengue fever: More than 67,000 cases
India has reported more than 67,000 cases of dengue fever as of October 13th, according to data released by the Directorate of the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP). Of the 67,377 total cases reported, Karnataka bore the highest burden out of the country with 12,756 cases. It also accounted for eight of India’s […]
Suspected dengue fever leads to 2,000 hospitalisations in Mumbai after monsoon
Almost 2,000 Mumbai residents were hospitalised with suspected dengue fever in the beginning of October, amidst the withdrawal of monsoon rains. The first fifteen days of October marked a slight spike in cases of suspected dengue fever compared to the same period in September. In total, 1,970 suspected dengue fever cases have been reported in […]
Kejriwal touts progress tackling cases of dengue fever
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has touted progress made by the state government in controlling cases of dengue fever in the national capital. Compared to last year, cases have almost been halved with a reduction from 830 to 467. Cases have spiked, however, in the past two months. 190 cases of dengue fever were reported […]
Jaipur issues penalties for mosquito breeding
Rajasthan state capital Jaipur is taking a hard line in its efforts to control mosquito-borne diseases, imposing fines against those who allow for breeding sites on their property. At the time of writing, 141 homeowners in the city have been served with challans within a one-month period for failing to deal with breeding sites on […]
Domestic dengue vaccine could be available in 2020
There may be renewed hope of combating dengue fever amongst reports of cases spiking over recent weeks. A domestically produced dengue fever vaccine may be made available in 2020. The dengue vaccination will be introduced in India early next year. This rollout of the vaccine will only be partial, however. A senior official of the […]
‘Our legacy to future generations’: India and a malaria-free world
India will prioritise the eradication of malaria on its public health agenda, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has announced on the heels of a landmark report by experts which proclaims that a malaria-free world by 2050 is attainable – if a bold approach is undertaken. “We are working towards ending malaria as soon as […]