WHO Flags India's Malaria Burden; Experts Demand Stronger Control

• India carries the heaviest malaria burden in the South-East Asia Region, despite progress towards reduction targets, according to a WHO report.
• Experts cite weak surveillance, delayed treatment, inadequate mosquito control, and lack of testing in remote/border areas as key reasons for persistent high cases.
• Environmental changes extending mosquito breeding seasons and unmonitored migrant movements contribute to outbreaks, especially in tribal and forest regions.
• Proposed solutions include expediting enhanced tools (vaccines, bed nets), improved field monitoring, continuous mosquito control, and public health education.
• Doctors recommend timely healthcare access, intensified testing in border districts, inter-state data exchange, prompt insecticide use, waste management, and accessible net distribution.

Why It Matters: India's high malaria burden highlights persistent public health risks.