By Zoila Palma: Today, World Malaria Day is being observed under the theme “Driven to End Malaria. Now We Can. Now We Must.”
Belize proudly stands among a small group of countries in the Americas—along with Argentina, El Salvador, Paraguay, and Suriname that have achieved malaria-free status.
This year’s theme is a call to action urging us to seize the moment and leverage advances in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention, including new tools such as vaccines, to push toward global malaria elimination.
Globally, progress continues:
Malaria-endemic countries have declined from 108 in 2000 to 80 in 2024 however, malaria remains a major threat, with an estimated 282 million cases and 610,000 deaths in 2024.
In Belize, while malaria-free certification was granted by the World Health Organization in June 2023, the risk of re-establishment remains particularly due to the movement of persons to and from endemic regions.
The Ministry of Health and Wellness noted that to sustain our achievement, we must continue to prioritize:
Sustained financing
Community empowerment and engagement
Strong partnerships across sectors
The Ministry says that maintaining a malaria-free Belize is a shared responsibility.
The post World Malaria Day observed with renewed push to eliminate malaria appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: Today, World Malaria Day is being observed under the theme “Driven to End Malaria. Now We Can. Now We Must.” Belize proudly stands among a small group of countries in the Americas—along with Argentina, El Salvador, Paraguay, and Suriname that have achieved malaria-free status. This year’s theme is a call to action urging
The post World Malaria Day observed with renewed push to eliminate malaria appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.