Kolkata, July 4 -- According to Union Health Ministry data, 7 out of 775 districts in India have recorded over 10,000 malaria cases in 2024.
While Kolkata remains among these 7, high-burden districts, Central government data indicates the city's ranking has improved compared to the past two years. According to the data provided by the Union Health Ministry, Kolkata registered 10,177 malaria cases in 2024 and ranked 6th in the list.
The highest number of malaria cases last year was reported from Singhbhum in Jharkhand with 19,199 cases, followed by Odisha's Kalahandi with 14,399 cases, Rayagada with 13,835, and Kandhamal with 11,146 cases.
Godda district in Jharkhand recorded 10,288 malaria cases and ranked 5th in the list. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) Health workers visited hundreds of construction sites last year and served notices under Section 496A of the KMC Act during its observance of Malaria Week from April 26 to May 3. The primary aim was to raise awareness about malaria protection and its eradication in Kolkata by 2030.
According to the Central data, the country saw a significant decline in malaria cases between 2015 and 2023, with an 80.5 per cent reduction and a 78.38 per cent decrease in malaria deaths.
In 2023, around 122 districts had reported zero malaria cases, demonstrating localised success in malaria control. The country is aiming to eliminate indigenous malaria by 2027 and achieve complete eradication by 2030, according to the Ministry of Health.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.