AHMEDABAD: With the country aiming to eliminate malaria by 2030, the figures of malaria cases and Annual Parasite Incidence (API) in Gujarat come as a shocker as the state is far behind the goal and lagging behind even the so-called BIMARU states (Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Rajsthan and Uttar Pradesh). API is defined as the confirmed cases of vector-borne diseases in one year per thousand population.According to the figures, Gujarat recorded 37,028 cases of malaria with an API of 0.57 of malaria till November this year.Whereas the BIMARU states, Bihar (2,977), Madhya Pradesh (36,242), Rajasthan (6,549) and Uttar Pradesh (31,162) reported less cases than Gujarat in 2017.Apart from Madhya Pradesh, the other three BIMARU states registered fewer malaria cases than Gujarat since 2014.If the figures of last four years are compared, then it can be seen that there is no decline in malaria cases as the cases ranged between 41,608 to 44,783 from 2014 to 2016. In the BIMARU states, the API remains between 0.01 to 1.26 between 2014 and 2017. In 2017, the country has recorded 7,93,548 cases of malaria which comprises 4% cases from Gujarat.It needs mention that the World Malaria Report 2016 said that India contributed 89% of the incidence of malaria in the South-East Asia region. The Union health ministry also released its vision for ridding the country of malaria by the year 2027 and of eliminating the disease by the year 2030.A report on malaria’s epidemiological situation of the entire country found that of positive malaria cases reported, 15% were from falciparum.