Algeria has been declared malaria-free by the World Health Organization. The north African country is the second African country to be officially recognized by WHO as malaria-free, after Mauritius in 1973. According to WHO, a country attains malaria-free status once it proves beyond a reasonable doubt that it has interrupted indigenous transmission of malaria for at least three consecutive years. Algeria has done this for about six years, with its last malaria case reported in 2013.
Malaria is one of the world’s leading killers, with an estimated 219 million cases and over 400 000 malaria-related deaths in 2017, 90 percent occurring in Africa with approximately 60 percent of fatalities being children aged under five. The malaria parasite was first discovered in Algeria in 1880. Over eight decades later, malaria became the country’s primary health challenge with it reporting an estimated 80,000 cases of the disease each year.
Over the years, the country has worked hard to eradicate the disease within its borders ensuring that everyone gets the health service needed to prevent, detect and cure the disease. This can be attributed to a devoted government, inclusive health policies and a well-trained health workforce. Algeria operates an effective universal healthcare scheme. This means that health services are free and available to everyone, even to those at the remotest parts of the country.
Algeria’s government invested in resources to ensure a rapid response to disease outbreaks with the provision of free malaria diagnosis and treatment. This improved surveillance coupled with the fact that no one was being left behind in getting the services they needed, allowed for every last case of malaria to be rapidly identified and treated.
“Algeria is where the malaria parasite was first discovered in humans almost a century and a half ago, and that was a significant milestone in responding to the disease,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti WHO Regional Director for Africa. “Now Algeria has shown the rest of Africa that malaria can be beaten through country leadership, bold action, sound investment and science. The rest of the continent can learn from this experience.”
The country’s anti-malaria drive was also spearheaded and financed by its government from domestic resources. “The country’s leadership took charge in funding its malaria elimination programmes by providing resources and supporting its health workers, research institutions and universities to work towards a malaria-free Algeria, Dr Akpaka Kalu, a WHO Malaria Expert told AllAfrica. “African governments, including the private sector, have to step forward, take charge and lead to provide the resources required to make our countries malaria-free.”
