Lok Sabha Question No. 965 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-21
Subject: Pilot Project for Malaria Eradication
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: SISIR KUMAR ADHIKARI, RAHUL KASWAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION N O. 965 TO BE ANSWERED ON  21 ST JULY, 2017

## PILOT PROJECT FOR MA LARIA ERADICATION

## 965. SHRI SISIR KUMAR ADHIKARI: SHRI RAHUL KASWAN:

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

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps  with  World Health  Organisation  (WHO)  to eradicate malaria;
- (b) if so, whether any pilot test has been done thereof;
- (c) if so, the details of trial reports and the results therein;
- (d) whether WHO will undertake any such pilot project in other countries on malaria vac and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI FAGGAN SINGH KULASTE)

- (a) to (c) : In consonance with Global Technical Strategy (GTS) of World Health Organiza tion (WHO),  the  National  Framew ork  for  Malaria  Elimination  (NFME), 2016- 2030  in  India  was launched by  Union Health & Family Welfare Minister in February 2016 to eliminate malaria in a phased manner by 2027 and to sustain thereafter till 2030 and beyond.

World  Health  Organization  has  emphasized  on  transforming  surveillanc e  into  a  core intervention in the Global Technical Strategy for malaria 2016 - 2030.

The Govt. of India has accordingly advised the States for the following :

- Malaria to be made a notifiable disease and all cases from private and other form non- Govt.sectors to be reported.
- All States/UTs and their respective districts have to reduce Annual Parasite Inc (API)  to  less  than  1  case  per  1000  population  at  risk  and  sustain  zero  deaths malaria while maintaining fully functional malaria surveilla nce to track, investigate and respond to each case throughout the country.

Contd………

- Strengthening  of  routine  surveillance  for  reducing  malaria  transmission  in transmission  areas,  and  establishing  case - based  surveillance  as  a  core  intervention  for elimination areas.
- Although guidelines and policies are in place, active surveillance for malaria is n undertaken effectively because of non - filling of vacancies for last many  years by the States especially Multi - Purpose Health Workers, responsib le for active surveillance.
- Passive  surveillance  being  done  by  all  health  facilities  upto  sub - centre  level  has  been extended  upto  the  community  level  through  Accredited  Social  Health  Activist (ASHAs)/Community Health Volunteers.
- Sentinel Surveillance for malaria for management of severe cases and preventing deaths has  been  strengthened  by  identifying  more  sentinel  sites  and  to  make  all  of functional. Presently 419 sentinel sites have been identified and made functional.
- Considering the malaria elimina tion target, electronic up - gradation of surveillance system explored for faster communication, early detection of cases and rapid response.

(d)    &  (e) : Presently,  no  vaccine  for  prevention  of  Malaria  for  Public  health  use commercially is available. RTS,S/AS01 is the most advanced vaccine against the most deadly form of human malaria, P.falciparum.

It is the first malaria vaccine to complete pivotal Phase 3 testing and obtain a scientific opinion from a stringent medicines regulatory aut hority.

It  is  being  considered  as  a  complementary  malaria  control  tool  in  Africa  that potentially  be  added  to  and  not  replace  the  core  package  of  proven  malaria  preven diagnostic and treatment interventions.

As per information received from W HO country office, the joint review and advice from Malaria  Policy  Advisory  Committee  Meeting  (MPAC  )and  the  Strategic  Advisory  Group  of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) in October 2015, WHO recommends pilot implementation of the RTS,S vaccine in distinct se ttings in sub - Saharan Africa in order to generate the evidence necessary for an updated WHO policy recommendation on the use of the vaccine in children sub- Saharan Africa.

The World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO/AFRO) announced o n April 24, 2017, that Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi will partner with WHO in the Malaria Vacci Implementation  Programme  (MVIP)  that  will  make  the  RTS,S  vaccine  available  in  selecte areas of the three countries, beginning in 2018.

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