TheIndianCouncilofMedicalResearchhaslaunchedthe'MalariaEliminationResearchAlliance(MERA)India'-aconglomerationofpartnersworkingonmalariacontrol-inordertoprioritise,planandscaleupresearchtoeliminatethediseasefromIndiaby2030.
Theprincipalactivityoftheallianceistoprioritise,plan,conduct,scaleupandtranslaterelevantresearchinacoordinatedandcombinatorialwayinordertohaveatangibleimpactonthepopulationwhoareatriskofmalaria,IndianCouncilofMedicalResearch(ICMR)DirectorGeneralDrBalramBhargavasaid.
"Overthepasttwodecades,Indiahasmadeimpressiveprogressinmalariacontrol.Themalariaburdenhasdeclinedbyover80percent,2.03millioncasesin2000to0.39millionin2018,andmalariadeathsbyover90percent,932deathsin2000to85in2018,"DrBhargavasaid.
HesaidthissuccesshasprovidedastrongfoundationforthecommitmentfromtheleadershipofthegovernmentofIndiatoeliminatemalariafromIndiaby2030.
TheNationalVectorBorneDiseasesControlProgram(NVBDCP)ofIndiahasdevelopedacomprehensiveframeworktoachievetheoverarchingvisionof"MalariafreeIndiaby2030".
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TheNVBDCP'sNationalStrategicPlanclearlyrecognisesthecriticalroleofresearchtosupportandguidemalariaeliminationefforts.
ThissituationhighlightstheneedforacommonplatformandsharedresearchagendaandresourcesthroughestablishmentoftheMalariaEliminationResearchAlliance(MERA)India,DrBhargavasaid.
TheMERAIndiadoesnotintendtoduplicateinternationaleffortsrathercomplementthisonanationalscalewhilecontributingtothebroaderglobalagenda.
Thealliancewillfacilitatetrans-institutionalcoordinationandcollaborationaroundasharedresearchagendawhichrespondsnotonlytoprogrammaticchallengesandaddressesgapsinavailabletoolsbutalsoproactivelycontributestotargetedresearch,hesaid.
Itaimstoharnessandreinforceresearchincoordinatedandcombinatorialwaysinordertoachievetangibleimpactonmalariaelimination,heexplained.
"MERAIndiaallianceisveryimportanttotheMinistryofHealthandFamilyWelfarebecauseoftheoperationalresearch.TheWHOreporthasappreciatedourresearchfordeclineinmalariaanditistimetoensureitseliminationby2030,"UnionHealthSecretaryPreetiSudansaid.
Sudanalsofocussedontheneedtoinformthepeopleaboutthemalariaprotectivemeasuresviamediainformofsmallvideoclips.
DrNeenaValecha,theregionaladviser,WHO-SEARO,stressedontheneedofsupportfromthegovernment.Shementionedabouttheneedofcoordinatedapproach,researchinputsandtoolswhichcanguidenationalprogrammetodevelopstrategiesfortheregularchangesendemicityinthenearmalariaeliminationera.
Hementionedtheimportanceofmalariaelimination,needofcommitmentforcuttingedgeresearchandtosticktothetimeline.
Ourfocusshouldbeonthechallengeswithparasiteandvectorbiology,socialsciencecommunicationandhealtheconomics,headded.
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