Independent assessment of Kala-Azar elimination programme in India

Overview

The National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) is an umbrella programme for the prevention and control of vector-borne diseases, including Visceral leishmaniasis, known as kala-azar (KA) in India. The NVBDCP develops evidence-based policies, strategies and financial assistance to the states which are responsible for implementing the programme.

Kala-azar is endemic in a geographically conned area of 54 districts across four states of Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, with an approximately 140 million population at risk of infection. As per the WHO Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) roadmap (2012–2020), KA was slated for elimination as a public health problem in India by 2020. In the last decade, several major policy changes have taken place to achieve its elimination. Now, only 37 blocks (6%) remain to achieve the elimination target by 2020.

An independent assessment of the national Visceral Leishmaniasis Elimination Programme was organized by the MoH&FW with the following broader objectives:

• to identify any bottlenecks or challenges in the last mile of elimination and recommend solution/s to overcome them; and
• to assess the national KA elimination programme and recommend measures for strengthening, especially with respect to elimination and sustaining elimination.

The mission was coordinated by WHO from 9-20 December, 2019. The assessment team comprised of 61 experts with diverse backgrounds in clinical and public health, programme management evaluation, vector control, medical entomology and communication.