WHO declares China malaria-free after 70 years of efforts
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The World Health Organization (WHO) declared China malaria-free on Wednesday, after a 70 year old effort to eradicate the disease.
“We congratulate the people of China on ridding the country of malaria. Their success was hard-earned and came only after decades of targeted and sustained action. With this announcement, China joins the growing number of countries that are showing the world that a malaria-free future is a viable goal,” said WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
China used to report around 30 million cases per year in the 1940s. Since then, government efforts and initiatives led to a steady decline in cases.
The WHO said China started to distribute medicine to prevent the disease in risk areas decades ago. Mosquito-breeding areas have also been systematically reduced and insect repellents and protective nets have been made widely available.
To be declared free of the mosquito-borne disease, countries can apply for WHO certification after three years of no indigenous cases. This is followed by presenting evidence, and demonstrating the capacity to prevent an outbreak.
China applied for WHO certification in 2020, after four consecutive years of zero indigenous cases. Experts traveled to the country in May this year to verify the malaria-free status, and preparedness to prevent future outbreaks.
