With the union health ministry flagging lapses in the submission of malaria blood slide samples from districts in Maharashtra, raising concerns over quality assurance in diagnosis and surveillance across the state, the public health department on April 16 wrote to all local bodies — including health officers of municipal corporations, assistant directors of health services, medical health officers, and district health officers — directing strict compliance with guidelines on submitting malaria blood samples for quality checks.
In a letter dated April 1, 2026, issued by the regional office of health and family welfare under the ministry of health and family welfare, district malaria officers across the state were asked to adhere to prescribed norms for the monthly submission of malaria slides.
Regional director Pranit M Kamble said that as per the guidelines issued by the National Centre for Vector-borne Diseases Control, cross-checking of malaria slides is mandatory to ensure diagnostic accuracy under microscopy.
As per the norms, districts are required to send 1% of negative slides and 50% of positive slides from the total examined samples to the regional office for quality checks. However, the letter noted that the office “is not receiving the samples in the mentioned proportions,” pointing to discrepancies in submitted data, Kamble said.
According to officials, inadequate sample submission weakens the quality assurance mechanism, which is critical for detecting diagnostic errors and maintaining surveillance standards. Careful microscopic examination of blood droplets, known as a smear test, is considered the gold standard for malaria diagnosis as it is the most reliable form of diagnosis. However, there is a possibility of incorrect diagnosis for malaria that has to be ruled out, they said.
Following the state’s directions, local bodies last week issued instructions to their malaria officers to strictly follow the norms. Health officials have also been directed to attach detailed documentation with the submitted slides, including the total number of samples examined and a breakdown of positive and negative cases, to ensure smooth verification and validation.
Sandeep Sangale, joint director for malaria, filariasis and water-borne diseases, Maharashtra, said, “Data shows that the required number of samples are not being sent to the laboratory as per the prescribed percentage. This affects the quality assurance process.”
“District malaria officers must ensure that rechecking samples are sent every month to the assistant director laboratories and regional office of health and family welfare labs, strictly as per the prescribed percentage and within the stipulated time. All instructions must be followed carefully to maintain quality standards in malaria diagnosis and surveillance.”
Public health experts said that such quality checks are crucial for preventing misdiagnosis and ensuring timely treatment, especially as India continues its efforts to eliminate malaria.
