Paraguay now malaria-free

  • Paraguay has become the first country in the Americas to be granted the malaria-free status by the World Health Organization since 1973.
  • In 2016, the WHO had identified 21 countries, including Paraguay, Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador and others, where they could eliminate malaria by 2020 and include them in the ‘E-2020 initiative’.
  • Between 1960 and 1973, seven countries and territories from the Americas were certified malaria-free: Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, and the northern part of Venezuela. “Reaching this goal also implies that we must now face the challenge of maintaining it.
  • Therefore, Paraguay has put in place a solid surveillance and response system in order to prevent the re-establishment of malaria.

Source:Downtoearth

 

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