Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya chaired a high level meeting on 5th January to review the status of Kala-Azar disease in the four endemic states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
Key points
- According to the Union Health Ministry, 632 (99.8%) endemic blocks have already achieved elimination status (<1 case/10,000). Only one block (Littipara) of Pakur district, Jharkhand is in the endemic category (1.23 case/10,000 population). India is committed to eliminating Kala Azar from the country by 2023.
- About 90% of global cases of kala Azar were reported from eight countries: Brazil, Eritrea, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan in 2021, with India contributing 11.5% of total cases reported globally. Kala-azar is endemic in 633 blocks of 54 districts in four endemic states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
- It is a notifiable disease in these states. Currently more than 90% of the Kala-azar cases are contributed by Bihar and Jharkhand.
- Uttar Pradesh (2019) and West Bengal (2017) states have achieved their elimination targets at the block level.
- The Union Health Minister urged the endemic states to ensure that there is a regular review and micro-stratification in high-risk blocks reporting incidence > 0.5 per 10000 populations.
- “Since Kala-azar impacts those among the lower socio-economic strata of society, early diagnosis & complete case management, integrated control and surveillance along with capacity building of human resource must be taken up on ground level”, he suggested.
