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China is completely malaria-free for the first time in 70 years. This is reported by the World Health Organization (WHO). Worldwide, 40 countries and areas have now been officially declared malaria-free.
–Why is this important?
China reported 30 million cases of the disease each year in the 1940s. After decades of efforts, the country has managed to contain malaria. According to the WHO, Beijing’s approach is an example for other countries where malaria occurs. Each year, the infectious disease, caused by parasites transmitted to humans by malaria mosquitoes, kills 400,000 people worldwide, mostly children.“Today we congratulate the people of China on ridding the country of malaria,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of de WHO. “Their success is well deserved and came only after decades of targeted and sustained action. With this announcement, China joins the growing number of countries showing the world that a malaria-free future is an achievable goal.”
China is the first western Pacific country to be declared malaria-free in more than three decades. Previously, Australia (1981), Singapore (1982) and Brunei (1987) also dealt with the deadly infectious disease in the region. Globally, 40 countries and territories are now malaria-free, including most recently El Salvador (2021), Algeria (2019), Argentina (2019), Paraguay (2018) and Uzbekistan (2018).
Keys to Success
China offers its residents free basic health care, which, among other things, enables residents to be easily diagnosed and treated for malaria, regardless of their financial situation. Greater cooperation between the different ministries also proved to be an important key to success. In 2010, thirteen ministries, including Health, Education, Trade, Customs and Tourism, joined forces to end malaria across the country.
The WHO warns that imported cases of malaria in China still pose a real risk, especially in the southern province of Yunnan, which borders three countries where the disease still occurs: Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. Chinese officials returning from Sub-Saharan Africa or other regions with malaria could also cause the disease to reappear.
(evb)
