WHO certifies West African archipelago’s elimination of malaria.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared Cape Verde malaria-free, marking a historic milestone for the West African archipelago. The certification was announced during a live ceremony attended by WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
“I salute the government and people of Cabo Verde for their unwavering commitment and resilience in their journey to eliminating malaria,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “WHO’s certification of Cabo Verde being malaria-free is testament to the power of strategic public health planning, collaboration, and sustained effort to protect and promote health. Cabo 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.”
Cape Verde becomes the third country in the African region to achieve malaria elimination status, joining Mauritius and Algeria. The WHO highlighted that Africa bears a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden, and Cape Verde’s achievement is significant for the country’s tourism-dependent economy and public health confidence.