The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially certified China as malaria-free following a seven-decade campaign. This milestone in the world's most populous nation highlights how innovative treatments and rigorous surveillance can eliminate the disease.
Malaria, caused by Plasmodium parasites and transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes, affects over 200 million people annually, claiming more than 400,000 lives—primarily children in Africa's tropical regions (94% of 2019 cases), as well as parts of Asia and Latin America. After 70 years of relentless effort, China has eradicated the disease.
"Today, we congratulate the Chinese people for ridding their country of malaria," said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "Their success was hard-won through decades of focused, sustained action. With this announcement, China joins the growing number of countries proving a malaria-free world is achievable."
China launched malaria control in the 1950s amid severe outbreaks, with mortality rates reaching 1% in affected areas. Leader Mao Zedong initiated Project 523, a classified military effort, to combat it.
From this project emerged Dr. Tu Youyou's discovery of artemisinin, the cornerstone of today's most effective antimalarial drugs. She received the Nobel Prize in 2015 for this breakthrough.
By the 1980s, China distributed artemisinin-treated mosquito nets. By 1988, over 2.4 million nets were deployed nationwide, per reports from The Times. By 1990's end, cases dropped to 117,000, with deaths reduced by 95%.
In the 2000s, China bolstered its response with enhanced staff, labs, and medicines. In 2010, a national elimination program united health, police, military, and tourism ministries under the innovative "1-3-7" strategy.
This mandated: 1 day to report cases; 3 days to verify and assess transmission risk; and 7 days to implement control measures.
The approach shone in Yunnan province, the former hotspot. It has reported no cases since 2017. In May, WHO's Independent Certification Panel verified nationwide eradication.
