In a landmark achievement, the World Health Organization (WHO) has officially certified Egypt as malaria-free. The certification follows nearly a century of dedicated efforts by the Egyptian government and civil society to eliminate a disease that has plagued the region for millennia.
“Malaria is as old as Egyptian civilization itself, but the disease that plagued pharaohs now belongs to its history and not its future,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, in a statement released by the WHO on Sunday.
“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’s achievement positions it as the third country in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region to achieve malaria-free status, following the United Arab Emirates and Morocco, and the first since 2010. Globally, 44 countries and one territory have reached this milestone.
Certification granted by the WHO requires a country to prove that local malaria transmission, which is spread by a mosquito, has been interrupted for at least three consecutive years. Additionally, the country must demonstrate the capacity to prevent the re-establishment of transmission.
Despite the certification, Egypt’s Minister of Health and Population and Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar said that Egypt’s journey is not over.
“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,” said Dr. Ghaffar, who added that Egypt would continue working with neighboring countries, such as Sudan, to prevent cross-order transmission.
According to the WHO, malaria has deep roots in Egypt’s history, with evidence of the disease tracing back to 4000 BCE. The iconic Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun was found to have malaria through genetic studies. The disease was particularly prevalent for centuries in areas along the Nile River, reaching up to 40 percent prevalence at one point.
Modern efforts to combat the disease in the country first began in the 1920s. According to the WHO, wartime disruptions and population displacement in the 1940s caused cases to spike to over three million. At the time, Egypt responded by launching a widespread campaign involving more than 4,000 health workers and 16 treatment divisions, eventually regaining control over the outbreak. The WHO’s statement added that the construction of the Aswan Dam in the 1960s created new challenges, as the standing water became a breeding ground for mosquitoes. In collaboration with Sudan, Egypt launched a comprehensive vector control and surveillance program that allowed for the rapid detection and containment of malaria outbreaks. By 2001, Egypt had effectively controlled malaria.
Among the steps the WHO says boosted Egypt’s efforts to eliminate malaria is the provision of malaria diagnosis and treatment free-of-charge to the entire population.
Worldwide, the last available public data reveals that there were 249 million cases of malaria in 2022. More than 600,000 people are killed by malaria each year, with more than 95 percent of those killed being in Africa.
Comments (0)