Hyderabad, Apr 25 (TNT): The Atal Incubation Centre at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), in collaboration with Consytel Lifesciences, on Saturday hosted a multi-stakeholder symposium marking World Malaria Day, calling for urgent, innovation-driven efforts to eliminate malaria in India by 2030.
The symposium brought together experts from government, academia, public health and industry, including representatives from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Bharat Biotech, PHFI and CSIR-CCMB, to deliberate on strategies to sustain progress and tackle remaining challenges, the Hyderabad based CCMB said in a release here.
Opening the session, CSIR-CCMB Director Dr.Vinay K Nandicoori said that while India has made significant advances in reducing malaria burden and exited the WHO’s High Burden to High Impact group, the final phase of elimination requires sustained collective effort.
Experts highlighted key challenges in the “last mile,” including persistent transmission in tribal and forested regions, changing parasite biology, climate-linked shifts in disease patterns and emerging diagnostic resistance.
Speaking at the event, AIC-CCMB CEO Dr. Nalam Madhusudhana Rao said India has seen a sharp decline in malaria incidence over the past decade, adding that investments in malaria control yield strong economic returns and must now focus on closing remaining gaps.
Consytel Lifesciences Founder S K Dash emphasised the need to move beyond vector control and target parasite reservoirs in humans through innovative therapeutic approaches.
The symposium featured discussions on successful state-led initiatives such as Odisha’s DAMaN programme, new vaccine developments, and emerging treatment strategies including liver-targeted therapies.
A panel discussion titled “Now We Must: Closing India’s Last Mile by 2030” underscored priorities such as strengthening surveillance systems, enhancing cross-border coordination, deploying targeted interventions in high-burden areas, and ensuring sustained policy and financial support.
Moderating the session, MoHFW Senior Regional Director Dr. Anuradha Medoju called for leveraging AI-driven tools for malaria prediction and control.
The event concluded with a call for coordinated, evidence-based and inclusive action to keep India on track to achieve malaria elimination by 2030.
TNT TS
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