June 10, 2019

What Algeria and Argentina can teach the world about being Malaria-free

located:	Algeria, Argentina
editor:	Bob Koigi

News that Algeria and Argentina have been declared Malaria-free by the World Health Organization has not only marked a major step in the fight against one of the leading killers globally, but offered poignant lessons to countries of the world on the investments, political will and dedication that is required to leave no one behind in tackling Malaria.

The certification of malaria elimination is granted after a country proves, beyond any thread of doubt, that it has managed to disrupt the chain of indigenous transmission nationwide for the past three consecutive years. 38 countries the world over have now been declared Malaria free.

The WHO reports that in 2017 alone there were an approximated 219 million cases of Malaria and more than 400,000 deaths. An estimated 60 percent of these fatalities are among children aged under 5 years.

While Algeria was the country where the Malaria parasite was first discovered in humans about a century and a half ago, the country experienced the toughest period of battling the disease in the 1960s where up to 80,000 cases were being reported each year. But concerted efforts including the provision of malaria diagnosis, investment in universal health care, well-trained health care personnel and quick response to any outbreaks have worked to the benefit of the North African country which has now become the second country in Africa to be declared Malaria-free after Mauritius.

Argentina, on the other hand, has since the 1970s trained its eyes on eliminating Malaria through unique approaches like diagnosing the disease through microscopy, working with health officials to spray homes with insecticides and partnering with the government of Bolivia to roll out spraying campaigns that targeted over 22,000 homes while conducting extensive Malaria testing.  

What the countries that have been declared free from Malaria have demonstrated is a deliberate attempt at embracing innovative, low-cost yet effective methods that have been guided by structured approaches and proactive political leadership. Such are vital lessons the rest of the world should borrow from.