Egypt was officially declared malaria-free by the World Health Organization (WHO) on October 20, marking the culmination of nearly a century of efforts to eradicate the disease.
“Malaria is as old as Egyptian civilization itself, but the disease that plagued pharaohs now belongs to its history and not its future,” WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus said, congratulating Egypt on the achievement.
Egypt joins the United Arab Emirates and Morocco as the third country in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region to achieve malaria-free status, a milestone not seen since 2010, bringing the global total of malaria-free countries to 44.
"I reaffirm that we will continue with determination and strong will to safeguard the health of all people in Egypt under the wise leadership’s guidance and proceed with enhancing our healthcare system, this will remain a cornerstone in protecting the lives of all people living in and visiting Egypt," said Deputy Prime Minister of Egypt, Khaled Ghaffar.
The WHO grants malaria elimination certification to countries that have proven, for at least three consecutive years, the interruption of indigenous malaria transmission by mosquitoes nationwide. The country must also demonstrate the capacity to prevent re-emergence of the disease. The WHO Director-General makes the final decision, based on a recommendation by an independent advisory group.