Following almost a century of endeavours, the nation of Georgia has been certified malaria-free by the World Health Organization (WHO). This announcement was made by Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO’s Director-General. The certification of malaria elimination is granted by the WHO upon the demonstration that the domestic transmission cycle has been effectively interrupted at the national level for a minimum of three uninterrupted years. Following the war, Georgia launched a malaria elimination programme that employed innovative pharmaceuticals, insecticide spraying, and comprehensive entomological monitoring. This programme led to the interruption of malaria transmission in 1953 (P. falciparum), 1960 (P. malariae), and 1970 (P. vivax). Georgia maintained a malaria-free status for a period of 25 years, but by 2002, the disease had resurfaced in the country with 474 reported cases. In 2005, Georgia endorsed the ‘Tashkent Declaration,’ thereby reaffirming its commitment to eradicate the disease, the incidence of which has since been significantly reduced, with the last indigenous case documented in 2009. According to Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, this achievement can be attributed to targeted investments, the dedication of health workers, and efforts in prevention, early diagnosis, and effective treatment of all malaria cases. Mikheil Sarjveladze, Georgia’s Minister of Health, emphasised that Georgia’s certification as malaria-free is a recognition of the sustainability of its health system.
January 25, 2025
