Fri Aug 01 04:51:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary of the provided text, followed by its rewrite as a news article suitable for “The Hindu,” keeping in mind the Indian perspective:
**Summary:**
The article discusses the global and Indian fight against malaria, highlighting the stalled progress due to parasite and mosquito resistance. While India has significantly reduced its malaria burden, challenges remain in tribal districts and with the *Plasmodium vivax* parasite. The piece explores the development of new and improved malaria vaccines, including the WHO-approved R21/Matrix-M and experimental whole-parasite vaccines, as well as transmission-blocking vaccines (TBVs). India is actively involved in TBV research with its indigenous AdFalciVax vaccine showing promising preclinical results. The article also touches upon innovative strategies like CRISPR-based gene drives, engineered antibodies, and mRNA vaccine platforms. It emphasizes that achieving India’s goal of malaria elimination by 2030 requires a multi-pronged approach involving scientific advancement, robust infrastructure, political will, doctor training, and effective vector control, particularly in remote and vulnerable areas. Collaboration between industry and academia is crucial.
**News Article:**
**The Hindu: Health Matters**
**India’s Malaria Battle: New Weapons Emerge as 2030 Elimination Goal Looms**
*By Ramya Kannan*
**New Delhi, August 1, 2025:** Despite significant strides in reducing its malaria burden by over 80% between 2015 and 2023, India faces a persistent challenge in eradicating the disease entirely by its ambitious 2030 deadline. While global progress has stalled, due to drug and insecticide resistance, India is pushing forward with new strategies, including cutting-edge vaccine development and vector control methods.
The fight against malaria is global; In 2023, nearly 294 million people were infected and close to 600,000 died.
Even with national averages improving, tribal districts like Lawngtlai (Mizoram) and Narayanpur (Chhattisgarh) still recorded high malaria rates last year, highlighting the need for focused interventions in vulnerable areas. Furthermore, while Africa is challenged by Plasmodium falciparum, India faces the additional burden of Plasmodium vivax which leads to relapse, complicating elimination efforts.
**Vaccines: A New Hope?**
The recent approval of the R21/Matrix-M vaccine, developed by Oxford and the Serum Institute of India, offers renewed optimism. However, scientists are also exploring more advanced vaccines with AdFalciVax, India’s first indigenous dual-stage vaccine. Developed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), AdFalciVax combines pre-erythrocytic and transmission-blocking antigens. This dual approach aims to prevent infection and halt mosquito transmission. Preclinical testing has been successful, with the vaccine demonstrating strong and stable immune responses in mice.
Beyond vaccines, research in India and globally is focused on transmission-blocking vaccines (TBVs) to prevent the spread of malaria by mosquitoes. The country’s high proportion of asymptomatic carriers makes TBVs particularly relevant. Additionally, innovations like engineered antibodies and CRISPR-based gene drives for vector control are being explored, although ethical considerations remain.
**Challenges and the Path Forward**
Eliminating malaria by 2030 requires addressing several key challenges:
* **Reaching Remote Areas:** Focusing on malaria strongholds in tribal and forested districts in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and the Northeast with limited healthcare access.
* **Targeting Asymptomatic Reservoirs:** Addressing the role of asymptomatic adults and older children in sustaining transmission.
* **Combating *P. vivax*:** Intensifying research and development of vaccines and treatments specifically for *P. vivax*, given its unique challenges in India.
* **Collaboration is Key:** Bridging the gap between scientific breakthroughs and practical implementation requires a “COVID-style push” involving robust collaboration between industry, academia, and government, supported by dedicated funding.
* **Full-Spectrum Battle:** Doctor training, resistance tracking, and vector control all need to be aligned, from the molecular level to the community clinic.
“We need vaccines, antibodies, new drugs – for both *P. falciparum* and *P. vivax*,” said Dr. Pawan Malhotra, emeritus scientist at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi.
“We are now concentrating on translating AdFalciVax’s promising preclinical results into trials. Successful deployment however, will require good results over multiple stages of trials as well as regulatory approvals, likely taking at least 7–8 years,” said Dr. Singh
India’s fight against malaria stands at a crucial point. Achieving the 2030 elimination goal will require a concerted effort, leveraging scientific advancements, strong infrastructure, strategic policy decisions, and unwavering public health initiatives.
First Piper 