GENEVA: Egypt reached a significant milestone in public health as the World Health Organization (WHO) certified the country as malaria-free, marking the elimination of a disease that has affected it since ancient times.
The WHO awards this certification to countries that can conclusively demonstrate that indigenous malaria transmission by Anopheles mosquitoes has been interrupted for at least three consecutive years.
With this latest certification, a total of 44 countries and one territory worldwide have achieved malaria-free status, according to a WHO statement. The organization described this achievement as “truly historic,” culminating nearly a century of efforts to eradicate the disease, as reported by AFP.
“Malaria dates back to the times of Egyptian civilization, but the disease that once affected pharaohs is now a part of history, not the future,” stated WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. He emphasized that Egypt’s certification is a testament to the dedication of its people and government in overcoming this ancient scourge.
Egypt’s Health Minister, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, stated, “Receiving the malaria elimination certificate today is not the end of our journey but the start of a new phase. We must now work diligently to maintain our achievement through the highest standards of surveillance, diagnosis, and treatment.”
To be certified as malaria-free, a country must also show it can prevent the re-establishment of transmission. Malaria, primarily spread by mosquitoes, is most prevalent in tropical regions and is caused by a parasite that claims over 600,000 lives each year, with 95% of those deaths occurring in Africa, according to the WHO. In 2022, there were 249 million recorded malaria cases across the world.
Furthermore, the WHO noted that early efforts to reduce human-mosquito contact in Egypt began in the 1920s, including a ban on rice and crop cultivation near homes. However, by 1942, malaria cases increased to over three million due to population displacement during World War II. The construction of the Aswan Dam in the 1960s introduced new risks, as stagnant water created breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Nonetheless, by 2001, Egypt had malaria “firmly under control,” the WHO stated.
