Union Health Minister J P Nadda today called for inter-sectoral approach to eliminate malaria from the country and stressed on the need to conduct research on traditional methods of medicines to combat the disease.
"There has to be an inter-sectoral approach for proper implementation of strategies and programmes to eliminate malaria from the country.
"Also, there is a need to carry out research on traditional methods of medicines, mostly used in rural India," he said while announcing India's first public-private partnership agreement for research and innovation in preventive health between ICMR and Sun Pharma.
Nadda said this initiative was a significant step in the health sector and reaffirmed the commitment of the government to strengthen health research.
The agreement was signed by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) DG Soumya Swaminathan and Sun Pharma Managing Director Dilip Shanghvi on the occasion of World Malaria Day.
As part of the partnership, ICMR and Sun Pharma will establish a malaria elimination demonstration project -- 'Malaria Free India' -- to support the National Framework for Elimination of Malaria which was announced by the Health Ministry in February 2016.
Nadda said this collaboration will prove to be a "notable milestone" in the government's strategy to eliminate malaria.
"India is a party to the commitment at the East Asia Summit for malaria elimination by 2030. So today's announcement of malaria elimination demonstration project is of special significance," he said.
The project will be first launched in Mandla, one of the most malaria endemic districts of Madhya Pradesh.
"Through our Malaria Free India initiative, we aim to achieve zero malaria incidences in more than 1,200 villages of Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh by FY'21," Shanghvi said.
"The experience gained from Mandla project will guide the development of broader plans for malaria elimination in Madhya Pradesh and other high malaria endemic states," he said.
Sun Pharma will fund as well as execute the programme over three to five years covering over 2,00,000 households in Mandla district, in collaboration with Madhya Pradesh government.
