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21 June 2023
Belize has been awarded a malaria-free certification from WHO after a more than 70-year national effort to stamp out the disease. Globally, a total of 42 countries and 1 territory have received the WHO certification, including 11 countries in the Region of the Americas.
• News release
• WHO Q&A on Belize’s malaria elimination journey
• Countries and territories certified malaria-free
MPAG provides independent, strategic advice to WHO on all technical areas relating to malaria control and elimination. In its latest meeting, held on 18–20 April 2023, the group heard updates on antimalarial drug resistance in Africa, a WHO evidence review of the R21 vaccine, and the global response plan for HRP2 gene deletions, among other topics.
Seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) is a safe and cost-effective strategy for preventing malaria among young children in areas where the disease is highly seasonal, with most cases occurring during the rainy season. This updated field guide builds on more than 10 years of SMC deployment and reflects the latest WHO guidance on SMC, introduced in the WHO guidelines for malaria in June 2022.
• New field guide on seasonal malaria chemoprevention
• News : “Improving implementation of seasonal malaria chemoprevention”
• WHO guidelines for malaria
Anopheles stephensi is a mosquito vector of malaria that thrives in urban settings. Originally native to parts of South Asia and the Arabian Peninsula, it has been detected over the last decade in 7 countries in the African continent. A convening of partners in Ethiopia on 8–10 March provided a forum to exchange information and collaborate on an effective regional response.
• Meeting report
• WHO initiative to stop the spread of Anopheles stephensi in Africa
WHO’s Malaria Threats Map is an interactive data platform that provides a geographic overview of the status of 4 biological threats to malaria control and elimination: vector insecticide resistance, pfhrp2/3 gene deletions, antimalarial drug resistance, and the emergence of invasive vector species. The platform was recently re-designed following a user experience survey. Key changes include a new home page, improved navigation, the addition of dashboards with summary data of key indicators by country, and a dedicated download interface.
WHO has recommended rectal artesunate (RAS) as an effective pre-referral treatment for severe malaria since 2006. On 18-19 October 2022, WHO convened a meeting with independent experts to review the evidence from effectiveness studies of RAS and develop guidance for the safe and effective implementation of this intervention.
