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Photo by James Gathany
The World Health Organization (WHO) has certified that Sri Lanka is now free of malaria.
Malaria was on the rise in Sri Lanka in the 1970s and 1980s. So, in the 1990s, the country adjusted its anti-malaria campaign.
The new strategy was to target the malaria parasite as well as the mosquitoes that spread the disease.
Sri Lanka set up mobile malaria clinics in high-transmission areas, which meant that prompt treatment could reduce the parasite reservoir and the possibility of further transmission.
Meanwhile, efforts to enhance surveillance, community engagement, and health education improved the ability of authorities to respond and mobilized popular support for the anti-malaria campaign.
Sri Lanka also received support from partners such as WHO and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
By 2006, Sri Lanka recorded less than 1000 cases of malaria per year. By October 2012, the indigenous cases were down to 0. For the past 3.5 years, no locally transmitted cases have been recorded.
“Sri Lanka’s achievement is truly remarkable,” said Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO regional director for Southeast Asia. “In the mid-20th century, it was among the most malaria-affected countries, but now it is malaria-free.”
“This is a testament to the courage and vision of its leaders and signifies the great leaps that can be made when targeted action is taken. It also demonstrates the importance of grass-roots community engagement and a whole-of-society approach when it comes to making dramatic public health gains.”
To maintain elimination and ensure the malaria parasite is not reintroduced to Sri Lanka, the anti-malaria campaign is working closely with local authorities and international partners to maintain surveillance and response capacity and to screen high-risk populations entering the country.
Dr Khetrapal Singh said WHO will continue to support the efforts of Sri Lanka’s health authorities as they relate to malaria, as well as the country’s wider public health mission.
Sri Lanka is the second country in the WHO Southeast Asia region to eliminate malaria—after Maldives.
The announcement that Sri Lanka is malaria-free was made at the Sixty-ninth Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in the presence of health ministers and senior health officials from all 11 member states. 
Photo by James Gathany
The World Health Organization (WHO) has certified that Sri Lanka is now free of malaria.
Malaria was on the rise in Sri Lanka in the 1970s and 1980s. So, in the 1990s, the country adjusted its anti-malaria campaign.
The new strategy was to target the malaria parasite as well as the mosquitoes that spread the disease.
Sri Lanka set up mobile malaria clinics in high-transmission areas, which meant that prompt treatment could reduce the parasite reservoir and the possibility of further transmission.
Meanwhile, efforts to enhance surveillance, community engagement, and health education improved the ability of authorities to respond and mobilized popular support for the anti-malaria campaign.
Sri Lanka also received support from partners such as WHO and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
By 2006, Sri Lanka recorded less than 1000 cases of malaria per year. By October 2012, the indigenous cases were down to 0. For the past 3.5 years, no locally transmitted cases have been recorded.
“Sri Lanka’s achievement is truly remarkable,” said Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO regional director for Southeast Asia. “In the mid-20th century, it was among the most malaria-affected countries, but now it is malaria-free.”
“This is a testament to the courage and vision of its leaders and signifies the great leaps that can be made when targeted action is taken. It also demonstrates the importance of grass-roots community engagement and a whole-of-society approach when it comes to making dramatic public health gains.”
To maintain elimination and ensure the malaria parasite is not reintroduced to Sri Lanka, the anti-malaria campaign is working closely with local authorities and international partners to maintain surveillance and response capacity and to screen high-risk populations entering the country.
Dr Khetrapal Singh said WHO will continue to support the efforts of Sri Lanka’s health authorities as they relate to malaria, as well as the country’s wider public health mission.
Sri Lanka is the second country in the WHO Southeast Asia region to eliminate malaria—after Maldives.
The announcement that Sri Lanka is malaria-free was made at the Sixty-ninth Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in the presence of health ministers and senior health officials from all 11 member states.
Photo by James Gathany
The World Health Organization (WHO) has certified that Sri Lanka is now free of malaria.
Malaria was on the rise in Sri Lanka in the 1970s and 1980s. So, in the 1990s, the country adjusted its anti-malaria campaign.
The new strategy was to target the malaria parasite as well as the mosquitoes that spread the disease.
Sri Lanka set up mobile malaria clinics in high-transmission areas, which meant that prompt treatment could reduce the parasite reservoir and the possibility of further transmission.
Meanwhile, efforts to enhance surveillance, community engagement, and health education improved the ability of authorities to respond and mobilized popular support for the anti-malaria campaign.
Sri Lanka also received support from partners such as WHO and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
By 2006, Sri Lanka recorded less than 1000 cases of malaria per year. By October 2012, the indigenous cases were down to 0. For the past 3.5 years, no locally transmitted cases have been recorded.
“Sri Lanka’s achievement is truly remarkable,” said Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO regional director for Southeast Asia. “In the mid-20th century, it was among the most malaria-affected countries, but now it is malaria-free.”
“This is a testament to the courage and vision of its leaders and signifies the great leaps that can be made when targeted action is taken. It also demonstrates the importance of grass-roots community engagement and a whole-of-society approach when it comes to making dramatic public health gains.”
To maintain elimination and ensure the malaria parasite is not reintroduced to Sri Lanka, the anti-malaria campaign is working closely with local authorities and international partners to maintain surveillance and response capacity and to screen high-risk populations entering the country.
Dr Khetrapal Singh said WHO will continue to support the efforts of Sri Lanka’s health authorities as they relate to malaria, as well as the country’s wider public health mission.
Sri Lanka is the second country in the WHO Southeast Asia region to eliminate malaria—after Maldives.
The announcement that Sri Lanka is malaria-free was made at the Sixty-ninth Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in the presence of health ministers and senior health officials from all 11 member states.