By Grace Ademulegun
The World Health Organisation (WHO) officially declared Georgia malaria-free on Thursday, January 23, 2025, marking a significant milestone after nearly a century of hard work.
With this accomplishment, Georgia joins 45 other nations and one territory worldwide in having eradicated malaria, one of the most-deadly illnesses in recorded history.
WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said, “Today, we congratulate the people of Georgia for decades of targeted and sustained actions to eliminate malaria, one of the leading killers in the world.”
He stated: “Georgia’s commitment and success give us hope that a malaria-free world is possible.”
Georgia’s accomplishment was praised by WHO Regional Director for Europe Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, who described it as a major turning point for the WHO European Region.
“This doesn’t just happen. It was made possible by consistent funding, the commitment of the medical staff, and focused initiatives in early diagnosis, prevention, and efficient treatment of every case of malaria,” he said.
The WHO European zone is now one step closer to becoming the world’s first malaria-free zone thanks to Georgia’s designation as malaria-free. The only nation in the region that has not yet received certification is Turkey.
Georgia has always struggled with malaria, which has been a problem since ancient times, according to historical reports. An estimated 30 percent of the population was thought to be afflicted by Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium falciparum, and Plasmodium malariae during the early 1900s, when malaria was endemic.
By increasing access to treatment and implementing mosquito control programs, systematic control methods that started in the 1920s greatly decreased the number of cases.
However, because of population migration and overburdened health services, World War II brought about a revival.
Georgia began a vigorous extermination campaign after the war that included strong entomological surveillance, newer medications, and insecticide spraying. All kinds of malaria parasites had stopped spreading by 1970.
In 2002, 474 cases of malaria were reported, marking the disease’s resurgence after 25 years of being eradicated. Due to the circumstances, Georgia reaffirmed its resolve to eradicate malaria in 2005 by signing the Tashkent Declaration.
The nation’s final indigenous incidence of malaria was reported in 2009, and by 2015, there were no indigenous cases reported in any of the 53 WHO European Region countries.
Strong public-private collaboration, a robust healthcare system, and steadfast political dedication are all factors in Georgia’s success.
Georgia’s well-run, well-resourced health system, which guarantees readiness against possible malaria reintroduction, was praised by WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on Malaria Elimination and Certification during the 2024 certification process.
Mikheil Sarjveladze, the Minister of Health, emphasised the importance of this accomplishment, saying, “This success means that Georgia can address important health challenges. It illustrates how sustainable our healthcare system is.
