India aims to eliminate visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) as a public health problem. What is the official elimination criterion adopted by the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme?

• A Less than 1 case per 10,000 population per year at block PHC level ✓
• B Zero indigenous cases nationally for 3 consecutive years
• C Less than 1 case per lakh population per year at district level
• D Less than 5 cases per 10,000 population per year at district level

Explanation

The kala-azar elimination target is defined as incidence below 1 case per 10,000 population per year at the block PHC level, the smallest administrative unit used for monitoring endemic blocks in Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. This mirrors the WHO regional elimination framework for South-East Asia. District-level or national zero-case definitions are not the operative criteria, and 5 per 10,000 corresponds to malaria control thresholds, not kala-azar.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.

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Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.