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Context

• In a historic move, the World Health Organization (WHO) endorsed the first anti-malarial vaccine.

 

About

• The WHO said that it was recommending the use of the RTS, S/AS01 (RTS, S) malaria vaccine among children in sub-Saharan Africa and in other regions with moderate to high falciparum malaria transmission.

 

Significance

• Malaria remains a primary cause of childhood illness and death in sub-Saharan Africa.
• The disease kills more than 2, 60,000 African children under the age of five annually.
• The vaccine does significantly reduce life-threatening severed malaria.

 

Malaria

• Malaria is caused by single-celled microorganisms of the Plasmodium group parasites.
• The disease is most commonly spread by an infected female Anopheles mosquito.
• The mosquito bite introduces the parasites from the mosquito's saliva into a person's blood.
• The parasites travel to the liver where they mature and reproduce.
• Five species of Plasmodium can infect and be spread by humans.
• Most deaths are caused by falciparum, whereas P. vivax, P. ovale, and P. malariae generally cause a milder form of malaria.
• The species knowlesi rarely causes disease in humans.
• Malaria is predominantly found in the tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, South America as well as Asia.
• Symptoms: fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause yellow skin, seizures, coma, or death.
• Malaria is preventable as well as curable.
• Vaccine: RTS, vaccine.

 

 

India and Malaria

• According to the World Malaria Report 2019, India represents 3% of the global malaria burden.
• Despite being the highest malaria burden country of the South East Asia region, India reported a decline of 17.6% in 2019 as compared to 2018.
• India has made remarkable progress during the recent years in reducing the malaria incidence.
• In May 2015, the World Health Assembly endorsed the Global Technical Strategy (GTS) for Malaria Elimination 2016-2030, which lays down clear global goals, milestones and targets till 2030.
• In accordance with the GTS, the Government of India launched the National Framework for Malaria Elimination 2016-2030 and the National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination 2017-2022 with WHO support.
• India has a vision of a malaria free country by 2027 and elimination by 2030.
• The WHO has also identified 25 countries with the potential to eradicate malaria by 2025 under its ‘E-2025 Initiative’.

Trivia

• China is the first country in the WHO Western Pacific Region to be awarded a malaria-free certification in more than 3 decades.
• Globally, 40 countries and territories have been granted a malaria-free certification from WHO.
• Recent Declarations: El Salvador (2021), Algeria (2019), Argentina (2019), Paraguay (2018) and Uzbekistan (2018).
• Countries that have achieved at least three consecutive years of zero indigenous cases can apply for WHO certification of their malaria-free status.

 

China’s Malaria Elimination Strategy in brief

• 1-3-7 Strategy: The strategy refers to:
• A one-day deadline to report a malaria diagnosis,
• Confirming a case and determining the spread by the third day, and
• Measures taken to stop the spread by the seventh day, along with continued surveillance in high-risk areas.

 

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/world-health-organization-recommends-first-anti-malarial-vaccine/article36867500.ece