Cape Verde declared malaria-free

13 Jun,2024

News excerpt:

Cape Verde has achieved a decisive victory against malaria, becoming the third African Nation to rid itself of the disease.

Past developments:

Cape Verde is the third country to get rid itself of the disease. The country has now joined Mauritius and Algeria, who were certified malaria-free in 1973 and 2019, respectively.
Cape Verde went through its last malaria peak in the late 1980s. Since then, it has been confined to two islands: Santiago and Boa Vista.

Both the islands have now been malaria-free since 2017.
In 2007, eliminating malaria became a national objective for Cape Verde, and subsequently, it came up with a strategic malaria plan from 2009 to 2013.

About cape verde:

Cabo Verde, country comprising a group of islands that lie 385 miles (620 km) off the west coast of Africa. Praia, on Santiago, is the capital.
Cabo Verde is named for the westernmost cape of Africa, Cape Verde (French: Cap Vert), which is located in nearby Senegal and is the nearest point on the continent.
The largest port in the islands is located at Mindelo, on São Vicente. Its deepwater harbour accommodates sizable vessels and has been used as a fueling station since the 19th century.

Criteria for being a malaria free nation:

For this certification, a nation needs to prove that the domestic chain of transmission has been broken for at least three consecutive years.
Worldwide, only 43 nations + (1-Territory) have been certified as Maria-free by the WHO.
Other countries certified malaria-free in recent years are as following:
- Tajikistan (2023), Azerbaijan (2023), Belize (2023), China (2021), El Salvador (2021).
- La Reunion is a French overseas region which was certified malaria-free independently from Metropolitan France (1979).