In a heartening development, India has continued its fight against malaria with remarkable success, defying the global trend. According to the latest World Health Organization (WHO) report released on Thursday, India witnessed a substantial decrease in malaria cases and deaths in 2022.
The report reveals that in 2022, India reported approximately 33 lakh malaria cases and 5,000 deaths, marking a significant reduction of 30% and 34%, respectively, compared to the previous year. This achievement is particularly notable when contrasted with the global scenario.
Globally, the report notes that there were 249 million cases of malaria in 2022, which represents a troubling increase of 5 million cases compared to 2021. The WHO’s World Malaria Report 2023 underscores the concerning trend of malaria cases, which had stabilized over the last decade, with numbers declining from 243 million in 2000 to 233 million in 2019. However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic led to a surge in malaria cases, with an additional 11 million cases recorded in 2020. This elevated figure persisted in 2021 and further increased in 2022.
The report also highlights the uptick in global malaria-related deaths, with 608,000 fatalities reported in 2022 compared to 576,000 in 2019.
One striking aspect of the 2023 World Malaria Report is its exploration of the intricate relationship between climate change and malaria. Changes in temperature, humidity, and rainfall can significantly impact the behavior and survival of the malaria-carrying Anopheles mosquito. Moreover, extreme weather events like heatwaves and flooding can directly affect disease transmission and its burden on communities. As an example, the report cites the catastrophic flooding in Pakistan in 2022, which resulted in a five-fold increase in malaria cases in the country.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, emphasized the grave implications of climate change on malaria control, particularly in vulnerable regions. He stressed the urgent need for sustainable and resilient malaria responses, coupled with immediate actions to mitigate the effects of global warming. This dual approach is crucial to maintaining the progress made against malaria while ensuring the well-being of communities threatened by this preventable and treatable disease.
