Egypt’s Minister of Health and Population, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, recently met with a delegation from the Global Malaria Programme of the World Health Organization (WHO) to prepare for Egypt’s international certification as a malaria-free country.
The Ministry of Health and Population had previously submitted a file to the WHO Director-General in Geneva in February 2023, outlining Egypt’s efforts to combat malaria and the steps taken to verify its malaria-free status.
During a field visit from 22 to 29 June, the WHO team confirmed that there was no local transmission of malaria within Egypt. All identified cases were imported from countries where the disease is endemic. Egypt’s robust surveillance system played a crucial role in early case detection, thanks to collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
The Ministry of Health formed a working team from the preventive sector to accompany the WHO mission. They visited hospitals and health units in Cairo, Fayoum, and Aswan governorates to review preventive measures and protocols. This effort aims to prevent the re-emergence of malaria in the country.
Additionally, the WHO mission assessed the capabilities of medical staff in detecting and managing imported malaria cases. They visited malaria unit laboratories, ensuring accurate diagnosis and continuous monitoring. The team also met with rural women pioneers to promote community health awareness.
The mission emphasized procedures to combat disease-transmitting mosquitoes and reviewed environmental sanitation practices. They ensured immediate reporting of any detected cases and implemented necessary epidemiological and entomological investigations for all contacts. Traveller’s Offices were also involved in implementing malaria prevention measures for travellers to endemic countries.
