India Exits High Malaria Burden List with Significant Reductions

India has officially exited the High Burden High Impact group of malaria-endemic nations in 2024, as per WHO's World Malaria Report. The country's malaria incidence fell 69% from 2017 to 2023. India, along with Indonesia, contributed to significant regional case reductions over two decades.

India has successfully reduced its malaria incidence and mortality, officially exiting the High Burden High Impact (HBHI) group of endemic nations in 2024, as announced by the World Health Organisation's recent World Malaria Report.

The report highlights a 69% decline in India's malaria cases, from 6.4 million in 2017 to two million in 2023. Over the same period, estimated malaria deaths in India decreased by 68%, from 11,100 to 3,500. India accounted for half of all malaria cases in the WHO South-East Asia Region in 2023.

Additionally, the region saw a substantial drop in malaria deaths, falling by 82.9% from 35,000 in 2000 to 6,000 in 2023, with India and Indonesia accounting for about 88% of the total. The overall achievements reflect the regional reduction of malaria cases by 82.4% over two decades.

(With inputs from agencies.)