The World Health Organisation (WHO) has officially certified Egypt as malaria-free, marking the culmination of nearly a century of efforts to eradicate the disease that has afflicted the country since ancient times.
This announcement was made in a statement on Sunday.
“Malaria is as old as Egyptian civilization, but the disease that plagued pharaohs now belongs to its history,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus.
He lauded Egypt’s commitment, stating, “This certification is truly historic and shows what’s possible with the right resources and tools.”
Egypt becomes the third country in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region to receive this certification, following the United Arab Emirates and Morocco, and the first since 2010.
In total, 44 countries and one territory worldwide have achieved this milestone.
Deputy Prime Minister, Dr. Khaled Ghaffar emphasized that this certification is just the beginning: “We must work tirelessly to sustain our achievement through maintaining the highest standards for surveillance, diagnosis, and treatment.”
He reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to safeguarding public health under the leadership’s guidance.
The WHO grants malaria-free certification when a country can demonstrate, for three consecutive years, that indigenous transmission has been interrupted and that it has the capacity to prevent its re-establishment.
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