Infectious disease WHO declared eradicated malaria in Paraguay

First American country for decades: Paraguay declared free of malaria

Malaria is a dangerous infectious disease that costs hundreds of thousands of lives each year worldwide. In Paraguay, the dangerous disease was eradicated. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the South American country malaria-free.

Advances in the fight against malaria

"In recent years, we have made great strides in the fight against malaria," said World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in a press release last year. At the time, however, the experts also pointed out that the fight against infectious disease had faltered in various countries and regions of the world and that a large return of malaria would therefore be possible in the future. In Paraguay, however, this does not seem to be the case. The South American country has now been declared free of malaria.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has certified Paraguay to have eliminated malaria. The dangerous disease transmitted by mosquito bites has not occurred in the South American country for years. (Image: mycteria / fotolia.com)

Paraguay has eliminated malaria

The World Health Organization (WHO) has certified Paraguay to have eliminated malaria. It is thus the first country in America that has received this status since 1973, according to a statement.

"It is a great pleasure to confirm today that Paraguay is officially free of malaria," said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

"Success stories like Paraguay show what's possible. If malaria can be eliminated in one country, it can be eliminated in all countries. "

In 2016, WHO identified Paraguay as one of 21 countries with the potential to eliminate malaria by 2020.

With the "E 2020 initiative", WHO supports these countries in developing their activities to prevent malaria. Other E2020 countries in the Americas include Belize, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico and Suriname.

"This is a strong reminder to the region of what can be achieved if countries focus on one important goal and remain alert to achieving that goal," Dr. Carissa F Etienne, Director of the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), WHO Regional Office for North and South America.

"We hope other countries will soon follow Paraguay in eradicating malaria."

Prevent recurrence of the disease

From 1950 to 2011, Paraguay systematically developed malaria control strategies and programs - a significant public health challenge in a country that reported more than 80,000 cases of the disease in the 1940s.

As a result, Paraguay registered its last case of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in 1995 and P. Vivax malaria in 2011.

Following further action aimed at preventing the recurrence of the disease, the Malaria Elimination Certification Panel concluded in April 2018 that Paraguay had interrupted the transmission of indigenous malaria for the required three years and was able to restore the transmission to prevent.

The Panel recommended that the WHO Director-General certify the country malaria-free. This has happened now.

Protect against mosquito bites

Between 1960 and 1973, seven countries and territories from America were recognized as malaria-free. Malaria cases in North, Central and South America fell by 62 percent and malaria deaths by 61 percent between 2000 and 2015.

However, the increase in malaria cases in several countries in 2016 and 2017 shows that major challenges remain in improving the diagnosis, treatment and investigation of malaria cases, especially in remote areas.

A malaria vaccine is not yet available. In affected countries, it is important to protect oneself against mosquito bites as far as possible.

It should be noted that the malaria-transmitting Anopheles mosquito almost invariably stings at dusk or after sunset. (Ad)