The certification is expected to boost progress on other health fronts in the country, such as using the systems created to control malaria to combat other mosquito-borne diseases, including dengue.
“I congratulate the Government and people of Cape Verde for their unwavering commitment and resilience on their path to malaria elimination,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
The certification is “a testament to the power of strategic public health planning, collaboration and sustained effort to protect and promote health,” he added.
An African and global success
With the certification, Cape Verde – also known as Cabo Verde – joins the 43 countries and one territory that have eliminated the disease. It is the third African nation to join the list, along with Mauritius and Algeria, which were declared malaria-free in 1973 and 2019, respectively.
The malaria burden is the highest on the African continent, which in 2021 accounted for approximately 95 percent of global malaria cases and 96 percent of related deaths.
“Cape Verde's success is the latest in the global fight against malaria and gives us hope that with existing tools, as well as new ones, including vaccines, we can dare to dream of a malaria-free world,” Mr. Tedros said.
Echoing those words, Matshidiso Moeti, WHO director for Africa, said it was an inspiring example for other nations to follow.
“Cape Verde's achievement is a ray of hope for the African Region and beyond. It demonstrates that with strong political will, effective policies, community participation and multi-sectoral collaboration, malaria elimination is an achievable goal,” he stated.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (right) celebrates the elimination of malaria in Cape Verde with Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva (centre) and Health Minister Filomena Mendes Gonçalves (left).
Sustained public health efforts
WHO also highlighted Cape Verde's sustained efforts to combat malaria, including at the policy level, in diagnosis, treatment and reporting.
It also adjusted its plans in the wake of a 2017 outbreak, making improvements that led to zero indigenous cases.
During the current COVID-19 pandemic, he safeguarded progress with focused efforts on improving the quality and sustainability of vector control and malaria diagnosis, strengthening malaria surveillance.
Malaria elimination certification
Certification of malaria elimination is the official recognition by WHO of a country's malaria-free status.
It is granted when a country has demonstrated – through rigorous and credible evidence – that the chain of indigenous transmission by Anopheles mosquitoes has been interrupted throughout the country for at least the last three consecutive years.
A country must also demonstrate the ability to prevent resurgence of transmission.
The final decision on granting malaria-free certification rests with the Director-General of WHO, based on a recommendation from the independent Technical Advisory Group on Malaria Elimination and Certification.
