Lara Adejoro
The World Health Organisation has certified Egypt as malaria-free.
The achievement follows a nearly 100-year effort by the Egyptian government and people to end a disease that has been present in the country since ancient times, according to a statement issued by the global health body on Sunday.
“Malaria is as old as Egyptian civilization itself, but the disease that plagued pharaohs now belongs to its history and not its future,” said WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus. “This certification of Egypt as malaria-free is truly historic, and a testament to the commitment of the people and government of Egypt to rid themselves of this ancient scourge. I congratulate Egypt on this achievement, which is an inspiration to other countries in the region, and shows what’s possible with the right resources and the right tools.”
Egypt is the third country to be awarded a malaria-free certification in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region following the United Arab Emirates and Morocco, and the first since 2010. Globally, a total of 44 countries and one territory have reached this milestone.
“Receiving the malaria elimination certificate today is not the end of the journey but the beginning of a new phase. We must now work tirelessly and vigilantly to sustain our achievement through maintaining the highest standards for surveillance, diagnosis, and treatment, integrated vector management, and sustaining our effective and rapid response to imported cases.
“Our continued multisectoral efforts will be critical to preserving Egypt’s malaria-free status,” said the Deputy Prime Minister of Egypt, Dr Khaled Ghaffar.
“I reaffirm that we will continue with determination and strong will to safeguard the health of all people in Egypt under the wise leadership’s guidance and proceed with enhancing our healthcare system, this will remain a cornerstone in protecting the lives of all people living in and visiting Egypt.”
Certification of malaria elimination is granted by WHO when a country has proven, beyond reasonable doubt, that the chain of indigenous malaria transmission by Anopheles mosquitoes has been interrupted nationwide for at least the previous three consecutive years.
A country must also demonstrate the capacity to prevent the re-establishment of transmission.
“The final decision on awarding malaria-free certification rests with the WHO Director-General, based on a recommendation by the independent Technical Advisory Group on Malaria Elimination and Certification,” WHO added.
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