India can eliminate malaria if govt implements its 15-year plan between 2016-2030 properly
A 15-year plan is laid out by the government
to eliminate the vector borne epidemic malaria beginning from 2016 to 2030,
according to Dr.
Amit Sharma, head and structural computation biology, International Genetic
Engineering and Biotechnology (IGEB). He is also winner of the
Infosys Prize 2015 for Life Science.
The country is a critical channel to be
monitored for malaria spread. This is because, currently, malaria is prevalent
in India, Sub Saharan Africa, South East Asia, China and parts of Middle East.
Another reason is that Chloroquine resistance in South East Asia is
migrating to India. There is also resistance to the best discovered drug Artemisinin
reported in Mynamar which is 20 km from the Indian border. There is a need to
exercise caution, since malaria has defeated many drugs in the past, he added.
The total elimination of malaria in India is
a reasonably achievable goal. The control of this disease is not just with
drugs, but public awareness, economic development, use of preventive methods
like spraying insecticides, mosquito nets and a concerted effort to create a
hygienic environment. “We are confident
that if this is implemented properly, we could achieve the goal. Malaria can be
controlled and tracked down with political will,” he said.
Dr. Sharma, was in Bengaluru for the Infosys
Prize Lecture at National Centre of Biological Sciences (NCBS) to address on ‘Malaria: A
biomarker for national development’, said that next big solution for
the control of this disease will come from drugs and not vaccines. India is
resource-limited and should go forward with a state-specific strategy to
control the spread. This will enable elimination of pockets of disease
concentration.
Malaria is endemic and causing an epidemic.
With global warming, there will be an increase in the incidence of malaria,
noted Dr. Sharma.
Giving a global perspective about the
disease, he said malaria can be fully controlled. Between 2000 and 2015, there
has been a 40 per cent decrease in transmission and 60 percent fall in
fatalities. In 1900, the whole world was affected by malaria. Today, around 15
to 20 nations are joining the club of countries where malaria is eliminated.
These include Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia and Mexico. These
countries have been able to achieve 1 malaria case per 1,000 inhabitants. India
has not maintained any records of malaria incidence. But Sri Lanka in South
Asia serves a great example as a malaria-free country.
In order to effectively get rid of malaria,
the need of the hour is to seek to destroy both the parasite and mosquito,
besides administering the Artemisinin-based combination treatment to reduce the
transmission of infection. Further, mobile clinics, community engagements,
education and reliance on insecticides will support elimination of the disease,
he said adding that the IGEB has a drug candidate ready for pre-clinical study
and is a single dose clearance of all parasites.
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