After 100-year of Govt efforts, Eygpt certified as malaria-free

Following a nearly 100-year effort by the Egyptian government and the people to end a disease that has been present in the country since ancient times.

The World Health Organization (WHO) in a statement on Sunday, has certified Egypt as malaria-free, marking a significant public health milestone for a country with more than 100 million inhabitants.

Malaria has been traced as far back as 4000 B.C.E. in Egypt, with genetic evidence of the disease found in Tutankhamun and other ancient Egyptian mummies.
Early efforts to reduce human-mosquito contact in Egypt began in the 1920s when the country prohibited the cultivation of rice and agricultural crops near homes.

With most of Egypt’s population living along the banks of the Nile River and malaria prevalence as high as 40%, the country designated malaria a notifiable disease in 1930 and later opened its first malaria control station focused on diagnosis, treatment and surveillance.

In his reaction, the WHO Director-General, Dr Tedro Ghebreyesus said, Malaria is as old as Egyptian civilization itself, but the disease that plagued pharaohs now belongs to its history and not its future.
He congratulated the Government and the Egyptian people on this achievement, which he said is an inspiration to other countries in the region, and shows what’s possible with the right resources and the right tools.

Ghebreyesus added that 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.

Deputy Prime Minister of Egypt, Dr Khaled Abdel Ghaffar said, “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.
Ghaffar who reaffirmed that Govt will continue with determination and strong will to safeguard the health of all people in Egypt under the wise leadership’s guidance.

“We’ll proceed with enhancing our healthcare system, this will remain a cornerstone in protecting the lives of all people living in and visiting Egypt. Our continued multisectoral efforts will be critical to preserving Egypt’s malaria-free status”, he promised.

Egypt remains 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 1 territory reached this milestone. 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.