Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:-

(a) whether malaria disease is on the increase rather than to have come down;

(b) if so, the reasons therefor and the steps taken to control the disease meaningfully and to tone up malaria control measures; and

(c) the number of persons affected by the disease during each of the last five years indicating the number of deaths?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
(DR. ANBUMANI RAMADOSS)

(a)to(c): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TOIN REPLY TO RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 434 FOR 4TM MAY, 2007

No, Sir. There has been decline in the number of malaria positive cases over the years as is evident from the epidemiological data appended below :-

Year

Malaria Cases

Deaths

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

Provisional (upto December) .

Government of India is implementing the National Vector Bome Disease Control  Programme including malaria that includes three pronged strategies namely,

(i)         Disease Management including early case detection and prompt treatment,  strengthening of referral services, epidemic preparedness and rapid: response

(ii)        Integrated Vector Management including indoor residual spraying with insecticide in selected high risk areas, use of insecticide treated bed nets, promotion of larvivorous fish, use of larvicides and source reduction through minor environmental engineering

(iii)       Supportive Interventions including Behaviour Change Communication, Public Private Partnership & Inter-sectoral convergence, Human Resource Development through capacity building, operational  research i: including studies on drug resistance and insecticide susceptibility, monitoring and evaluation through periodic reviews/field visits and web based Management Information System.

Government of India has introduced rapid diagnostic tests for early detection and complete treatment of Plasmodium falciparum malaria. In areas resistant to conventional anti-malaria drug Chloroquine, Government of India has introduced Artesunate + Sulphadoxinepyremethamine combination therapy. The supervision and monitoring of the programme has been intensified by involving National Institute of Malaria Research and other Indian Council of Medical Research Institutions.

 Government of India is providing additional support to high Plasmodium falciparum malaria endemic States including North-Eastern States, Orissa, West Bengal and Jharkhand since July, 2005, under  Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

(GFATM) supported Intensified Malaria Control Project. The Government of India is also providing additional support to other high malaria  endemic States under World Bank assistance (Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Orissa and Jharkhand).