‘Over 300 malaria cases in Delhi in last four years’: SDMC

As per figures provided by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), which tabulates data for the entire city, there were 201 malaria cases in Delhi in 2014.

Over the last four years, there have been over 300 malaria cases in the capital every year, showing the disease is far from eliminated from the city. Even as Delhi gears up to observe ‘World Malaria Day’ on April 25, these figures are a cause for worry for health officials.

Over the last four years, there have been over 300 malaria cases in the capital every year, showing the disease is far from eliminated from the city. Even as Delhi gears up to observe ‘World Malaria Day’ on April 25, these figures are a cause for worry for health officials. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

As per figures provided by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), which tabulates data for the entire city, there were 201 malaria cases in Delhi in 2014. The numbers increased to 359 in 2015, 454 in 2016 and 577 in 2017. It then decreased to 473 cases in 2018. Till April this year, only one case has been reported.

Most cases, according to civic body officials, were reported from areas along the Yamuna such as Burari, Mukundpur, Wazirpur, Jaitpur, Meethapur, Prahladpur, Shaheen Bagh, Taimur Nagar and Jasola.

“That’s because colonies along the Yamuna are mostly low-lying and collect freshwater which is ideal for the breeding of Anopheles mosquito that carries malaria parasite. Also, these areas bear a low socio-economic profile with few health facilities for quick diagnosis and treatment,” an SDMC public health official said, requesting anonymity.

The city’s municipal corporations attributed the rise in numbers in the last five years to “better malaria surveillance” as Delhi has been given a target of year 2020 by the Union health ministry to eliminate malaria. This is under the National Strategic Programme for Malaria Elimination, whereby India aims to eliminate malaria by 2030.

“Till 2016, we used to tabulate patients coming to civic body’s 60 malaria clinics. Now, we have recognised 36 hospitals run by the Centre, the Delhi government and municipalities as ‘sentinel surveillance hospitals’ and they include Bara Hindu Rao, Swami Dayanand Hospital, among others, from where we also collect data. Later, 42 private hospitals were also roped in. Naturally, the numbers went up,” an SDMC officer explained.

Besides these “passive surveillance” tactics, “active surveillance” methods were also adopted, an East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) official said.

Luckily, almost all cases reported in Delhi are caused by Plasmodium vivax and not Plasmodium falciparum, which if not treated in time can cause severe neurological complications. “To achieve the elimination target next year, we have to completely stop local transmission of the disease,” an official said.