Chandigarh, April 25 — On World Malaria Day, Haryana’s Health Department has launched a series of new, targeted initiatives to accelerate malaria elimination, focusing on village and mohalla level micro-surveillance, source tracing, and high-risk population monitoring. Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, Dr. Sumita Misra shared that these measures are designed to ensure early detection and prompt radical treatment to ensure breaking transmission across the state.
Under the new strategy, a comprehensive micro plan has been prepared to cover all villages and urban localities that reported malaria cases in the previous year, in addition to activities routinely performed by health workers. Health teams are conducting monthly door-to-door surveys in such areas, with over 950 visits already completed, ensuring that no potential case goes unnoticed.
Another major step is the mandatory investigation of every reported case. Each case is now examined by a specialized team, including an epidemiologist, to identify the exact origin of infection and contain its spread at the source. This scientific, data-driven approach is expected to further strengthen disease surveillance.
Recognizing that more than 75% of new cases are linked to migratory labourers, the department has introduced monthly inspections of labour sites, to be carried out on the first Monday of every month. This targeted outreach aims to detect infections early among vulnerable groups and reduce the risk of transmission.
These initiatives align with this year’s global theme—“Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can. Now We Must”—and come at a time when Haryana has already made significant progress in controlling malaria. The number of cases has dropped sharply from 4,485 in 2014 to just 202 in 2025, with no malaria-related deaths reported in recent years. Of the 515 total cases recorded in 2025, only 202 were from within the state, while the remaining were linked to other states. Importantly, only 8 cases have been reported up to March 31, 2026, indicating sustained control.
The state’s surveillance system remains robust, with over 36 lakhs tests conducted in 2025. The Annual Blood Examination Rate (ABER) reached 12.37%, surpassing the national benchmark, while the positivity rate remained extremely low at 0.014%, reflecting effective containment efforts. Haryana is preparing to use RDT as main tool during field survey for on the spot diagnosis. While using microscopy as the mainstay for diagnosis at institute level.
The Health Department has appealed to citizens to cooperate by reporting fever cases promptly and completing prescribed treatment. It has also urged private practitioners to notify malaria cases as required under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1899, emphasizing that timely reporting is critical to preventing outbreaks. With sustained surveillance, community participation, and focused interventions, Haryana is steadily moving towards the goal of complete malaria elimination.
