Varanasi Makes Strides in Malaria Eradication: Significant Decline in Cases Reported

Varanasi: Banaras is making steady progress towards malaria eradication by 2030, with the Health Department implementing effective strategies and actions to combat the disease. As a result, the district has witnessed a remarkable decline in malaria cases, with the number of patients decreasing significantly each year. In 2017, the district reported 406 malaria cases, whereas last year, only 27 cases were recorded. Various awareness programs, publicity campaigns, and initiatives for communicable and mosquito-borne disease control have contributed to increasing awareness about malaria in the district. World Malaria Day, observed on April 25 every year, further promotes awareness, with this year’s theme being ‘Accelerating the fight against malaria for a more equitable world’, according to Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Sandeep Chaudhary.

Asha workers are actively involved in door-to-door awareness campaigns and malaria testing using Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) kits. Health camps are being organized to identify malaria patients, and contract tracing is emphasized in hotspot areas. All Community Health Centers (CHCs), Primary Health Centers (PHCs), and Community Health Officers (CHOs) of Ayushman Arogya Mandir have been instructed to conduct timely testing and treatment of malaria patients.

District Malaria Officer (DMO) Sharad Chand Pandey highlighted the importance of reducing mosquito density to prevent malaria transmission. Currently, the house index in all hotspots is below one, indicating a normal situation. However, the house index tends to increase during the rainy and cold seasons, as larvae thrive in these conditions. Measures are being taken at all levels to prevent larval growth. Malaria, transmitted through the bite of female Anopheles mosquitoes, presents symptoms such as fever, headache, vomiting, abdominal pain, anemia, muscle pain, and excessive sweating. Timely diagnosis and treatment are crucial for a patient’s full recovery.

Malaria statistics over the past seven years in Varanasi indicate a consistent decline in cases: 406 cases in 2017, 340 in 2018, 271 in 2019, 46 in 2020, 164 in 2021, 78 in 2022, 26 in 2023, and only one case reported so far in 2024. In 2022, 1.16 lakh malaria tests were conducted, increasing to 1.67 lakh in 2023. As of this year, 43,503 tests have been conducted. On World Malaria Day, Thursday, special seminars will be organized at all PHCs and CHCs in the district, along with public awareness rallies and health camps.

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