Egypt has been plagued by malaria since ancient times.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the United Nations Health Organization – WHO, said on Monday, “Malaria is as old as Egyptian civilization…”
…”But this disease, which troubled the ancient rulers of Egypt, is now confined to the pages of history and threatens the future.”
“This certificate of malaria-free Egypt is truly historic and a testament to the commitment of the Egyptian people and government to rid Egypt of this ancient scourge,” he said.
This success in Egypt represents a significant victory in the global fight against malaria worldwide.
Especially, in a country with a population of over 10 crores, this is a truly remarkable achievement.
Growing list
Egypt is only the third country in the Eastern Mediterranean to be recognized as malaria-free.
Earlier, only the United Arab Emirates and Morocco were declared malaria-free.
Dr. Tedros said that underlining the importance of this achievement, he said that the number of countries achieving this status is constantly increasing around the world.
Egypt has become malaria free and joins the list of 44 countries with the same status.
“I congratulate Egypt for this success, which is a source of inspiration for other countries in the region,” he said.
“This success also shows what can be (achieved) with the right use of resources and the use of the right systems and tools.”