Certificate stating that Egypt has recovered from malaria

On Sunday, Egypt was certified malaria-free, an achievement described by the World Health Organization, which issued the document, as a “very historic success” that will end efforts made for almost a century to eliminate the disease

A statement by the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said: “Malaria is as old as the civilization of Egypt itself, but this disease that affected the Pharaohs is now part of the history of the -Egypt, not the future. “

He said, “Declaring that Egypt is free of malaria is a truly historic achievement, and a testament to the commitment of the Egyptian people and government to get rid of this ancient scourge.”

Egypt’s Minister of Health Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister, said, “Egypt receiving the malaria eradication certificate today is not the end of the journey, but the beginning of a new phase. “

He said: “We must now work hard and vigilantly to maintain our performance by maintaining the highest standards of investigation, diagnosis and treatment. “

Globally, 44 countries and one region were able to achieve this feat, according to the organization.

The organization issues a malaria eradication certificate to each country that proves, beyond reasonable doubt, that the chain of local transmission of malaria by Anopheles mosquitoes has been stopped throughout the country for co- at least three consecutive years.

The country must also demonstrate its ability to prevent relapse.

The World Health Organization said early efforts to reduce human-mosquito contact began in Egypt in the 1920s when it banned the cultivation of rice and other crops near homes.

By 1942, the number of cases in Egypt had risen to over three million due to population displacement during World War II.

The Aswan Dam, built in the 1960s, created new risks for the spread of malaria, as stagnant water created a fertile breeding ground for mosquitoes.

But by 2001, Egypt was able to “completely control” malaria, according to the World Health Organization.

Nigeria records more than a quarter of malaria deaths each year, ahead of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and Mozambique.

Malaria is a parasitic disease transmitted by mosquitoes, and is common in tropical and subtropical countries.

249 million malaria cases were recorded worldwide in 2022.