Number of deaths due to malaria in India 2014-2023

In 2023, 72 people died due to malaria across India. Although this was a drastic decrease compared to 2014 when malaria led to 562 deaths in the country, it is still a disease with vast implications on life in the south Asian country. In fact, according to a study by the World Health Organization, vector-borne diseases like malaria cost India between three and four billion dollars each year. 

Tackling the burden of malaria

The government implemented the National Malaria Eradication Program in 1953. This included medical facilities coupled with extensive educational and awareness drives under this program. This led to a significant reduction in the number of malaria fatalities in the country over recent decades. India accounted for about three percent of the global malaria cases in 2018.

High risk regions in India

Malaria is an infectious disease that is spread by female mosquitoes, causing symptoms such as fever, fatigue, vomiting, and headache. Around 95 percent of India’s population lives in tropical and sub-tropical areas where malaria is endemic. States that have been known as high-risk environments for malaria include Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Maharashtra and parts of the north-eastern region of India.