KATHMANDU: Among the 32 wards in the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), only one ward has been identified as being in the malaria risk zone.

Prabina Karmacharya, a Public Health Officer at the Public Health Office, clarified that only Ward No. 4 of Chandragiri Municipality was at risk of malaria.

“Chandragiri Municipality-4 is designated as a risk area due to a few reported cases of malaria in this ward. We estimate that 5 percent of the total population of this ward may be susceptible to the risk,” she explained.

According to her, Kathmandu recorded 13 malaria cases in Fiscal Year 2021/2022, followed by 17 cases each in FY 2022/2023 and FY 2023/24.

Similarly, other provinces reported cases as follows in FY 2023/24: 13 cases in Koshi province, 75 in Madhesh province, 42 in Bagmati province, 20 in Gandaki province, 233 in Lumbini province, 28 in Karnali province, and 176 in Sudur Paschim province.

Today marks World Malaria Day, observed under the theme of “Accelerating the fight against malaria for a more equitable world.”

Dr. Arjun Prasad Sapkota, Office Chief of the Public Health Office in Kathmandu, emphasized the ongoing need for malaria prevention despite reduced risk.

Dr. Sapkota highlighted that while malaria cases have decreased nationwide, foreign returnees remain vulnerable to infection, particularly those arriving from countries like South Africa.

In Fiscal Year 2080-81 BS (2023-24), Kathmandu District reported 17 new cases of malaria, often attributed to foreign returnees.

The government has implemented the Nepal Malaria Strategic Plan 2014-2025 with the objective of declaring Nepal malaria-free by 2025.

Efforts are underway to reduce the number of malaria patients and local transmission rates to zero by 2023, 2024, and 2025.

Despite ongoing malaria eradication campaigns since 1994, Nepal has yet to achieve complete eradication of the disease.

RSS