PROGRESS TOWARDS KALA-AZAR ELIMINATION IN UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA

Abstract

Kala- azar (KA) is one of the vector borne diseases (VBDs) slated for elimination from the country in 2021 by  bringing down the Kala-azar prevalence to <1 per 10000 population at sub district/ block level. The two important interventions in Kala-azar control Programme includes Indoor residual spray (IRS) and active case searches (ACS) in the endemic districts. Out of 75 districts, 22 districts have reported kala-azar cases so far, of which six districts, Deoria, Kushinagar, Ballia, Varanasi, Sant Ravidas Nagar (Bhadohi) and Ghazipur, bordering or adjacent to Bihar have been considered endemic for Kala-azar and remaining 16 districts have reported sporadic occurrence of the disease either once or twice in different years. However, district Kanpur Nagar has not been mentioned in the reporting districts’ list, as Kala-azar case was reported from KGMU, Lucknow in May, 2017. The number of districts reporting Kala-azar cases never exceeded 07 in whole state except the year 2021, when reporting districts number increased to 8. The prevalence of Kala-azar cases  <1 per 10000 population at block level has been achieved by the state  and no block of Kala-azar endemic districts has reported >1 Kala-azar case per 10000 population at block level after 2018.  Thus the disease has been eliminated from the state and  the state sustained the achievement for a long duration till 2024. Necessary steps may be undertaken for its validation from competent institution. Steps like (a) active cases search drive for at least sweeping the whole population of the sporadic disease district,  (b) complete treatment of the KA cases (both VL & PKDL), (c) complete coverage of population with IRS  following the time line and quality of IRS as per NCVBDC guidelines, and (d) synchronizing intervention activities  with  neighboring state or country subjecting their areas for KA elimination, may be addressed to maintain the sustainability of disease elimination status in the state.

How to cite this article:
Kamal S, R Chandra, Kumar A, V P Singh. Current Status of Kala-azar Elimination in Uttar Pradesh, India. J Commun Dis. 2025;57(2):233-241.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/0019.5138.202559