Communicable disease: Survey records rise in malaria cases

Efforts have been made to eradicate malaria, but some districts still require significant attention for eradication

KARACHI: According to the Malaria Control Programme, malaria is the leading communicable disease in the country and a major element causing morbidity in Pakistan.

Some districts of Pakistan have high endemic incidence of malaria, according to the Economic Survey of Pakistan.

Efforts have been made to eradicate malaria, but some districts still require significant attention for its eradication.

The survey stated that the conditions are poor in 66 districts of Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh. The number of malaria cases reported in these areas is greater than five per 1,000 people, according to the survey.



The national strategic plan 2015-2020 divided districts in different stratas, in accordance to the extent to which they are affected. Balochistan fell in category I of the strata, indicating a high rate of reported cases.

According to a report issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2017, more countries are likely to eliminate malaria. Countries such as Kyrgyzstan and Sri Lanka were certified by the WHO as malaria-free in 2016. The WHO also identified 21 countries with the potential to eliminate malaria by 2020. The organisation is working with the governments of these countries known as 'E-2020' to accelerate their pace of eliminating malaria. Unfortunately, Pakistan is not among them.