Kala Azar Elimination

India is close to eliminating Kala-azar as a public health problem. It has managed to keep the number of cases under 1 in 10,000 people for two consecutive years now as required by World Health Organization (WHO) parameters for elimination certification.

Table of Contents

About Kala Azar

It is also known as Visceral leishmaniasis.
Kala-azar: Hindi for “black disease” due to skin discoloration during infection.
It is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected female sandfly.
It is a Parasitic disease (Leishmania donovani is the primary cause in India)
It is the second deadliest parasitic disease after malaria in India.
Affected Organs: Infects the Reticuloendothelial system (RES), particularly the spleen, liver, and bone marrow.

Reticuloendothelial system (RES)

A network of cells and tissues throughout the body involved in immune function, blood cell production and waste removal. It includes organs like the spleen, liver, bone marrow and lymph nodes.

About National Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme (NVBDCP)

About: It is a comprehensive initiative aimed at managing diseases such as Malaria, Dengue, Lymphatic Filariasis (Filaria), Japanese Encephalitis, and Kala-azar.
Administrative Body: National Centre for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC)
Elimination Goals:
- Malaria: 2030.
- Lymphatic Filariasis: 2030.
- Kala-azar: 2023.

Difference between Elimination & Eradication

Elimination: A disease is eliminated when deliberate efforts reduce the incidence of a specific disease to zero in a defined geographic area. However, continued intervention measures are required to prevent the disease from re-emerging.
Eradication: A disease is eradicated when the agent that causes the disease is no longer present and intervention measures are no longer required. Eradication is a global and permanent achievement.