Gandhinagar: Gujarat has been placed in Category-1 under the “Malaria Elimination” program in India after the state’s malaria positivity rate dropped below 1 per 1,000 population, the state government announced on Thursday.

According to the Gujarat Health Department, nearly 1.81 crore individuals with fever symptoms were screened in 2024. Blood samples were collected, and malaria-positive patients were diagnosed and treated free of charge. The state conducted intensive vector control measures throughout the year, including door-to-door surveillance, public demonstrations on pest control, fever checks, construction site inspections, and the release of larva-eating fish in stagnant water bodies.

The Health Department reported that pesticide spraying covered over 2.52 lakh people in 233 villages in 2024. For 2025, the state plans to cover more than two lakh people in 196 villages as part of its continued efforts.

In addition, 3,863 biological control centers have been established to breed pest-eating fish like guppies and gambusia, which help control mosquito larvae at breeding sites. The state also intensifies malaria control through three special surveillance rounds each year — pre-monsoon (April), monsoon (June), and post-monsoon (September). DeshGujarat