JERUSALEM (dpa-AFX) - The World Health Organization has certified Egypt as malaria-free, marking a significant public health milestone for the north African country with a population of more than 100 million. The achievement follows nearly a century-old effort by the Egyptian government and people to end a disease that existed in the country since ancient times.
'Malaria is as old as Egyptian civilization itself, but the disease that plagued pharaohs now belongs to its history and not its future,' said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. 'This certification of Egypt as malaria-free is truly historic, and a testament to the commitment of the people and government of Egypt to rid themselves of this ancient scourge.
Egypt is the third country to be awarded a malaria-free certification in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region following the United Arab Emirates and Morocco, and the first since 2010. Globally, 44 countries have reached this milestone.
'Our continued multisectoral efforts will be critical to preserving Egypt's malaria-free status,' said Dr Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister of Egypt.
Certification of malaria elimination is granted by WHO when a country has proven, beyond reasonable doubt, that the chain of indigenous malaria transmission by Anopheles mosquitoes has been interrupted nationwide for at least the previous three consecutive years. A country must also demonstrate the capacity to prevent the re-establishment of transmission.
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