The World Health Organization(WHO) has declared Egypt malaria-free, a major public health achievement for the Middle Eastern country with over 100 million residents. This milestone follows nearly a century of efforts by the Egyptian government and citizens to eradicate the disease, which has existed since ancient times.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus applauded Egypt’s commitment, saying malaria now belongs to the country’s history, not its future. Egypt joins the UAE and Morocco as malaria-free countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
The Deputy Prime Minister of Egypt, Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, stressed sustaining this achievement through continued surveillance, diagnosis, treatment, and response to imported cases.
How The Journey Has Been For Egypt
Malaria has a long history in Egypt, dating back to around 4000 B.C.E., with evidence of the disease found in ancient Egyptian mummies like Tutankhamun. To combat malaria, Egypt started prohibiting rice cultivation and other crops near residential areas in the 1920s, minimizing human-mosquito contact. By 1930, malaria was declared a notifiable disease, and the country’s first malaria control station was established for diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance.
Dr. Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, praised Egypt’s efforts, saying the country’s success in eliminating malaria an indication of what can be achieved with vision, dedication, and unity. This achievement resulted from sustained surveillance, investments in a strong health system, community engagement, and partnerships.
During World War II, malaria incidence surged to over 3 million in 1942, but Egypt managed the outbreak by establishing treatment divisions and recruiting health workers. The construction of the Aswan Dam in 1969 introduced new malaria risks, which Egypt addressed through vector control and public health surveillance projects.
By 2001, malaria was under control, and Egypt focused on preventing its reoccurrence. A 2014 outbreak in Aswan Governorate was quickly contained through early case identification, treatment, vector control, and public education.
Egypt provides free malaria diagnosis and treatment to all residents, regardless of legal status, and trains health professionals nationwide to detect and screen malaria cases, including those at borders. The country’s cross-border partnership with Sudan has been crucial in preventing malaria’s re-establishment, ultimately leading to Egypt’s certification as malaria-free.
