In an interview, we discussed Egypt’s monumental achievement in the fight against malaria. After nearly a century of dedicated efforts, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently certified Egypt as malaria-free, a recognition that is described as “truly historic” and symbolizes the outcomes of decades of work aimed at eradicating the disease.
The journey toward reducing malaria in Egypt began in the 1920s when initial measures were put in place to limit human-mosquito contact. These included banning the cultivation of rice and other crops near residential areas. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus remarked in a statement, “Malaria is as ancient as Egyptian civilization itself, but this plague that once tormented pharaohs now belongs to Egypt’s past, not its future.”
Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Egypt’s Minister of Health, emphasized that receiving malaria-free certification is not the end of the journey but the beginning of a new phase. “We must remain vigilant and continue our rigorous efforts in monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment to maintain our achievements,” he stated. The WHO also pointed out that this certification is merely the “beginning of a new stage,” urging Egypt to stay alert.
Egypt is now the third country along the eastern Mediterranean coast to receive this certification, following the United Arab Emirates and Morocco. Worldwide, 44 countries and one region have achieved this milestone.
The WHO grants malaria-free certification to a country after it has demonstrated that the local transmission chain of malaria, spread by infected mosquitoes, has been broken for at least three consecutive years. Additionally, the country must show it has the capacity to prevent any resurgence of the disease.
According to the WHO, malaria claims the lives of over 600,000 people annually, with 95% of those deaths occurring in Africa.
