India’s progress in eliminating kala-azar and trachoma as public health issues

Source: The post India’s progress in eliminating kala-azar and trachoma as public health issues has been created, based on the article “Celebration and vigil: India must not let its guard down on kala-azar” published in “The Hindu” on 24th October 2024

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2 – Governance-Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health

Context: The article talks about India’s progress in eliminating kala-azar and trachoma as public health issues. It highlights India’s achievements, the difference between elimination and eradication, and emphasizes the need for continued efforts and vigilance to prevent future outbreaks.

For detailed information on India to seek certification from WHO for eliminating Kala-azar read this article here

What is the recent achievement of India in disease control?

1. India has made significant progress in eliminating kala-azar and trachoma. Kala-azar cases have dropped to less than one in 10,000 for two consecutive years.
2. Trachoma, which once caused 5% of blindness in the 1970s, has also been eliminated as a public health problem.
3. In 2023, India had 595 cases of kala-azar with four deaths, and in 2024, 339 cases with one death. India needs to maintain low numbers for another year to receive WHO certification for eliminating kala-azar.

For detailed information on India Eliminates Trachoma as a Public Health Problem read this article here

What is the difference between elimination and eradication?

1. Elimination means reducing the number of disease cases to a specific limit within a country, so it’s no longer a public health problem.
2. Eradication, however, means completely stopping any new cases globally.
3. Only smallpox has been eradicated so far. Eliminating a disease like kala-azar or trachoma, which has no vaccine, is a significant challenge.

What challenges does India face in eliminating kala-azar and trachoma?

1. Lack of vaccines: Neither kala-azar nor trachoma has a vaccine, making elimination harder. Kala-azar is spread by sandflies carrying Leishmania donovani, and trachoma is caused by Chlamydia trachomatis.
2. Socio-economic conditions: Both diseases are linked to poverty and poor sanitation. India’s success required a government-run health campaign to tackle these factors.

For detailed information on India achieves target to eliminate ‘Kala-Azar’ read this article here

Question for practice:

Discuss the recent achievements of India in eliminating kala-azar and trachoma as public health issues, and the challenges faced in maintaining this progress.