National Framework for Malaria Elimination (NFME) 2016-2030: Plan to eliminate malaria by 2030

The Health Minister launched the National Framework for Malaria Elimination (NFME) 2016-2030, which outlines India’s strategy for elimination of the disease by 2030. This will be the first time that the government’s policy intervention will have deliverables and time-bound targets.

Important points of this new framework 

India will be divided into three categories as per malaria prevalence

ü  Low

ü  Moderate

ü  Endemic States

ü  By 2016 end, all States are expected to include malaria elimination in their broader health policies; by the end of 2017, all States are expected to bring down Annual Parasite Incidence [API] to less than 1 per thousand populations.

ü  By the end of 2020, 15 States/UTs under category 1 [elimination phase] are expected to interrupt transmission of malaria and achieve zero indigenous cases and deaths due to malaria.

ü  Reduce incidence of malaria to less than 1 case per 1000 population in all States/UTs and the districts and malaria elimination in 31 states/UTs by 2024.

ü  Interrupt indigenous transmission of malaria in all States/ UTs (Category 3) by 2027.

ü  Prevent re-establishment of local transmission of malaria in areas where it has been eliminated and to maintain malaria-free status of the country by 2030.

ü  It is also envisaged that in States with relatively good capacity and health infrastructure, namely, Gujarat, Karnataka and Maharashtra, accelerated efforts may usher malaria elimination sooner — within two to three years.

ü  Under the new framework, the Ministry will depend on civil society organisations to improve surveillance.

The policy drafted has to be based on the data available with the government.