Humanitarian Assistance to Combat Malaria

India has made significant strides in reducing malaria mortality and morbidity over the past decade. The country has implemented various strategies including widespread distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets, indoor residual spraying, and improved access to diagnosis and treatment.

However, some regions, like the state of Mizoram in North-East India, continue to face challenges in combating malaria. Factors contributing to ongoing transmission in these areas include environmental conditions conducive to mosquito breeding, limited access to healthcare services, drug resistance, and population movement across borders.

Mizoram is among the few malaria-endemic regions where, in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic, malaria prevalence has declined relatively little and has grown in the past two years. Mizoram falls under Category 3 (Intensified Control Phase) which is a State/Union Territory having API > 1⁴⁷.

Mizoram therefore, require high quality mosquito bed nets, given the hyperendemicity of malaria in the hill state. To combat the spread of malaria a number of 600 DuraNet LLIN mosquito bed nets were distributed among 600 displaced households.