The World Health Organisation (WHO) has officially certified Egypt as malaria-free, marking a historic public health victory for the nation of over 100 million people.
This certification results from nearly a century of focused efforts by the Egyptian government and its people to eliminate a disease that has plagued the country since ancient times.
“This certification of Egypt as malaria-free is truly historic. Malaria is as old as Egyptian civilisation, but the disease that plagued pharaohs now belongs to its history, not its future. I congratulate Egypt on this achievement, which serves as an inspiration to other countries in the region,“ said WHO director-general Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus,
Egypt becomes the third country in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region to achieve malaria-free status, following the United Arab Emirates and Morocco.
This achievement has made Egypt the first country in the region to be certified since 2010. Globally, only 44 countries and one territory hold this prestigious status.
Egypt’s deputy prime minister, Dr. Khaled Ghaffar, emphasised that the certification is not the end of the journey but the beginning of a new phase.
