Egypt has been officially certified as malaria-free by the World Health Organization (WHO) after nearly 100 years of efforts to eliminate the deadly mosquito-borne disease. This certification, granted after Egypt recorded no malaria transmission for three consecutive years, is a significant milestone in global health. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called the achievement “truly historic,” noting that malaria, which plagued Egypt for millennia, is now relegated to the annals of history. Egypt becomes the third country in the WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region to achieve this status, joining the UAE and Morocco. However, the WHO cautioned that Egypt must remain vigilant to prevent a resurgence of malaria, which still claims over 600,000 lives annually, mostly in Africa. Egypt’s fight against the disease began in the 1920s, when it enacted measures to reduce human-mosquito contact, such as banning rice cultivation near homes.
SOURCE: BBC
WHO Certifies Egypt Malaria-free After Nearly 100 Years of Efforts
