Mumbai News: BMC’s Missed ABER Targets Expose Gaps In City's Malaria Fight

By mid-September, Mumbai has already reported over 6,000 malaria cases, around 21% higher than the previous year. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Health Department attributed the rise to the early monsoon and excessive rainfall. However, experts warn that poor surveillance and testing are also driving the increase.

BMC Falling Short on ABER Target

These gaps came to light during a recent Medical Officer training programme, where officials revealed that the BMC has consistently failed to meet the benchmark for the Annual Blood Examination Rate (ABER), a key malaria control indicator.

ABER measures the percentage of people tested for malaria annually and is calculated by dividing the number of blood slides examined by the mid-year population and multiplying by 100. “A higher ABER indicates active malaria testing, while a low ABER points to insufficient surveillance,” said a medical official who requested anonymity. National guidelines recommend an ABER of at least 12%, but Mumbai has repeatedly fallen short, partly due to reliance on Rapid Diagnostic Kits rather than the gold-standard blood smear tests.

ABER Data from 2015 to 2024

Data from 2015 to 2024 show that the BMC has rarely met the ABER target: 11.3% in 2015, 12.1% in 2016, 11.0% in 2017, 11.8% in 2018, 11.1% in 2019, 6.8% in 2020, 9.3% in 2021, 10.5% in 2022, 10.8% in 2023, and 11.7% in 2024. The lowest rate, 6.8%, was recorded in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

API Shows Uneven Progress Across Wards

Another key indicator, the Annual Parasitic Index (API), shows uneven progress across Mumbai’s wards. While 18 wards report an API between 0 and 1 (elimination phase) and six wards between 1 and 2 (pre-elimination phase), E Ward exceeds an API of 2, placing it in the intensified control phase. Overall, the city’s API remains below 1.

Elimination Target by 2030

The Government of India aims to eliminate malaria by 2030, which requires WHO certification over three consecutive years. For Mumbai to meet this target, malaria would need to be eradicated from the city by 2027.

BMC Official Refutes Claims

Dr. Daksha Shah, Executive Health Officer of BMC, refuted the claims and clarified that the Annual Blood Examination Rate (ABER) has consistently remained above national guidelines over the past two years. “It was 12 percent in 2024 and 13.9 percent so far in 2025, which is well above the recommended benchmark,” she said, emphasising that the civic body is actively conducting testing and surveillance in areas reporting malaria cases.

Dr. Shah explained that the BMC follows the WHO’s 1-3-7 guideline. “We survey at least 200 houses within the vicinity of a reported case and implementing preventive measures,” said Dr Shah, adding that the rise in reported malaria cases is a result of this proactive approach to testing and monitoring.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, testing and surveillance activities were disrupted, leading to a temporary dip in ABER. “There might be some data collection issues where it shows lower than 12 percent, but otherwise, we are consistently conducting malaria testing,” Dr. Shah added.

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