As per Global Burden of Disease Study, 2013 published in LANCET- an International medical journal, Visceral Leishmaniasis (Kala Azar) was the second largest Neglected Tropical Diseases causing mortality. As per this report, the age- standardised death rate was 0.9 per 1,00,000 population in respect of Kala Azar. Death due to Visceral Leishmaniasis is mainly due to delayed reporting of cases to health facility.

As against elimination target of less than 1 case of Kala Azar  per 10,000 population at block level in all the endemic blocks, till 2017, out of 633 endemic blocks, 559 (88%) blocks have achieved the elimination target and 74 remaining blocks (49 are from Bihar and 25 from Jharkhand) could not achieve elimination,  due to the following reasons.

1. Reporting of cases from newer foci. 
2. Longer incubation peroid of about 2 years.
3. The endemic blocks located in difficult geographical terrain.
4. Indigenous health seeking behaviour in ethnic, poor and marginalised community.

The State/UT-wise detail of cases of Kala Azar reported during the last three years is given below:

Continuous efforts are underway under National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), a part of the   National Health Mission (NHM), a flagship programme of the Government, with an objective to eliminate the disease within a short span of time.

The Minister of State (Health and Family Welfare), Sh Ashwini Kumar Choubey stated this in a written reply in the Lok Sabha here today.