Nepal may miss malaria elimination target

Nepal is likely to miss its malaria elimination target yet again, as seven new cases of indigenous infection have been reported from various districts across the country since the beginning of 2023.

Earlier, the government had expressed commitment to end malaria by 2020, which was later extended to 2025.

To earn the ‘malaria-free’ status in 2026, Nepal needs to bring down indigenous cases or local transmission of the disease to zero, achieve zero deaths from 2023, and sustain zero cases for 3 consecutive years, according to the World Health Organisation.