Copenhagen, 20 April 2016 --- The European Region is the first in the world to have achieved interruption of indigenous malaria transmission. The number of indigenous malaria cases dropped from 90 712 in 1995 to zero cases in 2015. Ahead of World Malaria Day 2016, WHO announces that the European Region hit its 2015 target to wipe out malaria, thus contributing to the global goal to “End malaria for good”. Key partners funded malaria elimination efforts in European countries substantially.
“This is a major milestone in Europe’s public health history and in the efforts to eliminate malaria globally. I applaud this achievement as the result of strong political commitment from European leaders with WHO support”, says Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO Regional Director for Europe. “This is not only the time to celebrate our success but is also the opportunity to firmly maintain the malaria-free status we have laboriously attained. Until malaria is eradicated globally, people travelling to and from malaria-endemic countries can import the disease to Europe, and we have to keep up the good work to prevent its reintroduction”.
The path towards malaria elimination: from Tashkent to the Regional Strategy
The 2005 Tashkent Declaration “The Move from Malaria Control to Elimination”, endorsed by malaria-affected countries in the Region, was a turning-point in achieving a malaria-free Europe. The Declaration led the way to the new Regional Strategy 2006–2015, which guided affected European countries to reduce the number of indigenous malaria cases to zero.
This achievement was made possible through a combination of strong political commitment, heightened detection and surveillance of malaria cases, integrated strategies for mosquito control with community involvement, cross-border collaboration and communication to people at risk. When a country has zero locally acquired malaria cases for at least three consecutive years, it is eligible for official certification of malaria elimination by WHO.
Avoiding malaria reintroduction: the Ashgabat high-level meeting
“The European Region has been declared malaria free on the basis of the present situation and the likelihood that elimination can be maintained. This means that we cannot afford to drop our guard on this disease”, concludes Dr Nedret Emiroglu, Director of Communicable Diseases and Health security, WHO Regional Office for Europe. “Experience shows that malaria can spread rapidly, and, if Europe’s countries are not vigilant and responsive, a single imported case can result in resurgence of malaria”.
On 21–22 July 2016, WHO will convene its first high-level meeting on prevention of malaria reintroduction, in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. European countries at risk of malaria reintroduction will come together to prevent the return of malaria to the European Region through:
- sustained political commitment,
- strong vigilance to test and treat all malaria cases promptly;
- understanding how malaria transmission could be reintroduced and the risk it poses and
- immediate action if local malaria transmission resumes.
The meeting outcome will pave the way for preventing malaria from affecting Europe again.
Note to the editors
The WHO European Region comprises 53 countries, with a population of nearly 900 million, stretching from the Arctic Ocean in the north and the Mediterranean Sea in the south and from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east.
When a country asks WHO to certify its malaria-free status, after at least 3 consecutive years with zero locally acquired cases, the burden of proof of elimination falls on the country itself. Certification confirms that the country, at that point in time, has halted local transmission by Anopheles mosquitoes and that it has created an adequate system for preventing its re-establishment. The final decision to grant certification is made by the WHO Director-General. Countries are expected to continue reporting on an annual basis to WHO on the maintenance of their malaria-free status.
World Malaria Day is celebrated on 25 April each year around the world. The goal of the Day is to raise awareness about the burden of malaria worldwide and the status of malaria prevention and control efforts. This year’s theme “End malaria for good” reflects the vision of a malaria-free world set out in the "Global technical strategy for malaria 2016–2030".
Links
Note to the editors
The WHO European Region comprises 53 countries, with a population of nearly 900 million, stretching from the Arctic Ocean in the north and the Mediterranean Sea in the south and from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east.
When a country asks WHO to certify its malaria-free status, after at least 3 consecutive years with zero locally acquired cases, the burden of proof of elimination falls on the country itself. Certification confirms that the country, at that point in time, has halted local transmission by Anopheles mosquitoes and that it has created an adequate system for preventing its re-establishment. The final decision to grant certification is made by the WHO Director-General. Countries are expected to continue reporting on an annual basis to WHO on the maintenance of their malaria-free status.
World Malaria Day is celebrated on 25 April each year around the world. The goal of the Day is to raise awareness about the burden of malaria worldwide and the status of malaria prevention and control efforts. This year’s theme “End malaria for good” reflects the vision of a malaria-free world set out in the "Global technical strategy for malaria 2016–2030".
Links
- Fact Sheet “History of malaria elimination in the European Region”: http://www.euro.who.int/en/fs/
2016/european-region-malaria- free - Countries in the WHO European Region http://www.euro.who.int/en/
countries - Tashkent Declaration: “The Move from Malaria Control to Elimination” http://www.euro.who.int/en/
health-topics/communicable- diseases/vector-borne-and- parasitic-diseases/ publications/pre-2009/ tashkent-declaration-the-move- from-malaria-control-to- elimination - Regional framework for prevention of malaria reintroduction and certification of malaria elimination 2014–2020 (2014) http://www.euro.who.int/en/
health-topics/communicable- diseases/vector-borne-and- parasitic-diseases/ publications/2014/regional- framework-for-prevention-of- malaria-reintroduction-and- certification-of-malaria- elimination-20142020-2014 - Malaria in the European Region http://www.euro.who.int/en/
health-topics/communicable- diseases/vector-borne-and- parasitic-diseases - World Malaria Day 2016 http://www.who.int/campaigns/
malaria-day/2016/en/ - Malaria certification process http://www.who.int/malaria/
areas/elimination/ certification/en/ - World Malaria Report 2015 http://www.who.int/malaria/
publications/world-malaria- report-2015/report/en/
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