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WHO Declares Egypt Malaria-Free

Published

Monday, October 21, 2024 at 03:24 PM

Written by Daukoru Grey

Report says Egypt has officially been declared malaria-free, marking a significant milestone in the country's public health.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus,

the certification, awarded on Sunday, recognizes nearly a century of sustained efforts to eradicate the disease.

"Malaria is as old as Egyptian civilization itself, but the disease that plagued pharaohs now belongs to history, not its future," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "This certification of Egypt as malaria-free is truly historic and highlights the dedication of the Egyptian people and government to overcoming this ancient scourge."

Egypt joins a group of 44 countries and one territory that have been certified malaria-free by the WHO. To earn this designation, a country must demonstrate that local transmission of malaria through Anopheles mosquitoes has been halted for at least three consecutive years and prove the capacity to prevent the disease from returning.

Despite global progress, malaria remains a deadly threat. Each year, it claims over 600,000 lives, with 95 percent of deaths occurring in Africa. In 2022 alone, 249 million cases were reported worldwide. The disease, caused by a parasite and spread by mosquitoes, primarily affects tropical regions.

Egypt's Health Minister, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, emphasized that while the certification is a major achievement, it marks 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," he said.

Egypt’s fight against malaria stretches back to the 1920s when efforts to reduce mosquito contact began, including the prohibition of rice and crop cultivation near homes. However, the country faced setbacks during World War II when population displacement contributed to a rise in malaria cases, peaking at more than three million by 1942. Later, the construction of the Aswan Dam in the 1960s created new risks by providing breeding grounds for mosquitoes in stagnant water.

By 2001, the WHO noted that Egypt had brought malaria under control. The country's success stands in stark contrast to the ongoing malaria crisis in Africa, where nations like Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and Mozambique bear the brunt of malaria deaths each year. Nigeria alone accounts for more than a quarter of global malaria fatalities.

Edited By: Manasseh Paul-Worika

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WHO Declares Egypt Malaria-Free

Report says Egypt has officially been declared malaria-free, marking a significant milestone in the country's public health.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus,

the certification, awarded on Sunday, recognizes nearly a century of sustained efforts to eradicate the disease.

Despite global progress, malaria remains a deadly threat. Each year, it claims over 600,000 lives, with 95 percent of deaths occurring in Africa. In 2022 alone, 249 million cases were reported worldwide. The disease, caused by a parasite and spread by mosquitoes, primarily affects tropical regions.

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