Jahnavi Sarma
... Read More
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookie Policy.
Written By: Jahnavi Sarma | Updated : June 30, 2021 7:31 AM IST
World Health Organization (WHO) has officially certified China to be malaria-free. It now becomes the second country after Sri Lanka to be free of malaria. The Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance (APLMA), Asia Pacific Malaria Elimination Network (APMEN) and their partner The RBM Partnership praised China's achievement and contributions to the fight against malaria, while reflecting on the successes and learnings that can support malaria elimination across Asia Pacific and globally. Malaria has long been the scourge of this region and effort have been going on for decades to eradicate it. The fact that China has managed to maintain zero indigenous malaria cases for four consecutive years, down from an estimated 30 million cases and 300,000 deaths per year in the 1940s is an achievement in itself.
China's success reflects the crucial role of multi-sector collaboration across 13 ministries. This includes targeted interventions for rural, high-risk and border areas and having the right infrastructure in place. The country followed the 1-3-7 norm, which acted as a game changer for malaria surveillance and response. The norm has clear timelines for diagnosis (1 day), confirmation and risk assessment (3 days) and action to contain all malaria cases (7 days) to prevent further transmission of malaria. This approach has also been adopted and modified to suit local settings by many countries in the region.
This certification officially recognises that a country is malaria-free. It is granted when a country has demonstrated, with rigorous and credible evidence, that the chain of indigenous malaria transmission has been interrupted nationwide for at least three consecutive years. A country must also demonstrate the capacity to prevent the re-establishment of malaria transmission. The WHO Director-General is the final authority who decides on this certification, based on a recommendation by the independent Malaria Elimination Certification Panel (MECP).
Malaria is a preventable and treatable disease. With the right tools, it is possible to stop it's spread. China has proved elimination is possible even in the most populous nation. Other nations, including India, has also succeeded to a great extent in preventing it spread. In fact, progress against malaria is one of the biggest public health successes of this century. Over the past ten years, many countries in the Asia Pacific region have almost halved the number of malaria deaths and cases and have continued to make impressive gains towards eliminating malaria by 2030. India now needs to take a focussed stand on its eradication by putting the right infrastructure in place and taking rigorous measures to contain this scourge.
(With inputs from Agencies)
