The Indian Council of Medical Research(ICMR) has launched  ‘Malaria Elimination Research Alliance (MERA)’ aiming to eliminate Malaria from India by 2030.
The main aim of MERA, a conglomeration of partners working on malaria control, is to prioritize, plan and scale up research to eliminate the disease.
The research would be conducted in a coordinated and combinatorial way in order to have a tangible impact of this research on the population at risk for malaria.
“Over the past two decades, India has made impressive progress in malaria control. The malaria burden has declined by over 80 per cent, 2.03 million cases in 2000 to 0.39 million in 2018, and malaria deaths by over 90 per cent, 932 deaths in 2000 to 85 in 2018,” said Dr Balram Bhargava Director of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). This success has provided a strong foundation for the commitment from the leadership of the GoI to eliminate malaria in India by 2030.
The National Vector Borne Diseases Control Program (NVBDCP) of India has developed a comprehensive framework in order to achieve the vision “Malaria free India by 2030”. NVBCP’s plan clearly recognises the role of research to support and guide malaria elimination efforts.
The establishment of MERA will fulfil the need for a common platform and shared research agenda and resources. MERA India does not intend to duplicate international efforts rather complement this on a national scale while contributing to the broader global agenda.
The purpose of MERA India is to identify, articulate, prioritise and respond to the research needs of the country to eliminate malaria from India by 2030. MERA India will facilitate trans-institutional coordination and collaboration around a shared research agenda which response to not only to programmatic challenges and addresses gaps in available tools but also proactively contribute to targeted research. MERA India aims to harness and reinforce research in coordinated and combinatorial ways in order to achieve a tangible impact on malaria elimination.
About the new initiative, Preeti Sudan, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said: “MERA India alliance is very important to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare because of the operational research. The WHO report has appreciated our research for the decline in malaria and it is time to ensure its elimination by 2030.”
Dr Neena Valecha, the regional advisor, WHO-SEARO spoke on the need for support from the government. She also mentioned about the need of coordinated approach, research inputs and tools which can guide national programme to develop strategies for the regular changes endemicity in the near malaria elimination era.
“Our focus should be on the challenges with parasite and vector biology, social science communication and health economics,” said Dr Balram Bhargava.

Source: Deccan Herald, Express Healthcare

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