What Happened
- The International Malaria Conference (IMC) 2026, themed "Discovery, Development, and Delivery: Driving Malaria Elimination and Beyond," concluded in New Delhi on 9 March 2026 after three days of deliberations (7–9 March)
- The conference was organised by ICMR–National Institute of Malaria Research (ICMR–NIMR) under the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
- Scientists, public health experts, policymakers, and researchers from India and across the world participated in plenary talks, scientific sessions, and policy panels
- The inaugural session featured Dr Anup Anvikar, Director of ICMR-NIMR, who emphasised strengthening collaboration between research institutions, national malaria programmes, and global partners
- The valedictory session reaffirmed the collective commitment of the scientific and public health community toward accelerating malaria elimination, contributing to the vision of a malaria-free world
Static Topic Bridges
India's National Framework for Malaria Elimination (NFME)
India launched the National Framework for Malaria Elimination (NFME) 2016–2030 with an interim target of eliminating malaria from the country by 2027 and achieving country-wide elimination by 2030. Malaria elimination is defined as zero indigenous transmission in a defined geographic area. The framework is implemented by the National Centre for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
- India exited the WHO High Burden to High Impact (HBHI) group in 2024 — a significant milestone
- India's Annual Parasite Incidence (API) declined from 3.29 per thousand (1995) to 0.18 per thousand (2024)
- Malaria cases fell from 11,69,261 (2015) to 2,27,564 (2023) — over 80% reduction
- Deaths fell from 384 (2015) to 83 (2023)
- By end-2025, 160 districts in 23 States/UTs reported zero indigenous malaria cases (2022–2024)
- India accounts for ~73% of malaria cases in the WHO South-East Asia Region
Connection to this news: IMC 2026 provided a platform to assess progress under NFME 2016–2030, with India's improving statistics forming the backdrop for policy discussions on accelerating the final push toward elimination.
ICMR and ICMR-NIMR: India's Malaria Research Architecture
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination, and promotion of biomedical research, funded by the Government of India through the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The ICMR–National Institute of Malaria Research (ICMR-NIMR), established in 1977, is India's premier institute for malaria research and operates as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Malaria Research and Training. NIMR conducts fundamental, applied, and operational research on malaria while supporting national malaria control and elimination programmes.
- ICMR was established in 1911 (as Indian Research Fund Association), one of the oldest medical research bodies in the world
- ICMR-NIMR is headquartered in New Delhi and functions under ICMR's network of 25+ institutes
- NIMR's mandate covers basic biology of malaria parasites and vectors, drug resistance surveillance, vaccine development, and operational research
- NIMR serves as a WHO Collaborating Centre, bridging Indian research with global malaria control strategies
Connection to this news: As the organiser of IMC 2026, ICMR-NIMR leveraged its dual role as a national research institute and WHO Collaborating Centre to convene global stakeholders for translating science into malaria elimination policy.
The Global Malaria Burden and WHO Strategy
Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites (primarily P. falciparum and P. vivax) transmitted through the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. The WHO Global Technical Strategy (GTS) for Malaria 2016–2030 sets targets of reducing global malaria case incidence and mortality rates by at least 90% by 2030 compared to 2015 levels, and eliminating malaria in at least 35 countries. Globally, malaria kills hundreds of thousands annually, with sub-Saharan Africa bearing over 95% of the burden.
- India carries approximately 1.4% of global malaria cases and 0.9% of global malaria deaths
- India accounts for 52% of all malaria deaths outside sub-Saharan Africa
- P. vivax (relapsing malaria) poses particular elimination challenges due to dormant liver stages
- Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) are first-line treatment; resistance is an emerging concern in Southeast Asia
- RTS,S (Mosquirix) and R21 are WHO-approved malaria vaccines, primarily targeting P. falciparum in sub-Saharan Africa
Connection to this news: IMC 2026's "Discovery, Development, and Delivery" theme directly maps to the three pillars of the WHO GTS — accelerating new tools (vaccines, drugs), ensuring development pathways, and last-mile delivery to achieve elimination.
Key Facts & Data
- Conference: International Malaria Conference (IMC) 2026, New Delhi, 7–9 March 2026
- Theme: "Discovery, Development, and Delivery: Driving Malaria Elimination and Beyond"
- Organiser: ICMR–National Institute of Malaria Research (ICMR-NIMR)
- ICMR-NIMR established: 1977; functions as WHO Collaborating Centre
- India's malaria API: 3.29 per thousand (1995) → 0.18 per thousand (2024)
- India malaria deaths: 1,151 (1995) → 86 (2024)
- India exited WHO High Burden to High Impact group: 2024
- 160 districts in 23 States/UTs: zero indigenous cases reported (2022–2024)
- NFME 2016–2030 targets: malaria-free India by 2027 (interim), country-wide elimination by 2030
- India's share: ~73% of malaria cases in WHO South-East Asia Region