Goa, April 27 -- It is going to be a big milestone for the people of Goa and the healthcare system, as the state is on the verge of being declared malaria-free, marking a major public health achievement more than three decades after the disease was rampant during the 1980s and 1990s. Since 2023, there have been no indigenous malaria cases reported in Goa; all recent cases have involved migrants arriving from other states where malaria is still endemic. The last malaria death in the state was recorded in 2017.

Health officials, led by Dr Kalpana Mahatme of the Directorate of Health Services, have applied for malaria elimination certification for South Goa in the subnational category. All necessary documentation has been submitted, and ins...