Pakistan far from being declared malaria-free country.

ISLAMABAD -- While Pakistan reported 3.4 million cases of malaria in 2022, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has certified Azerbaijan and Tajikistan malaria-free countries.

Pakistan had contacted WHO in 2020 to start the process of declaring Punjab a malaria-free province, but it could not be implemented due to the Covid-19 pandemic and change of management in the malaria control wing. Floods during the last two years have pushed the county far from the dream of achieving that goal.

However, the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) claimed that as per the national malaria strategy, Punjab, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Islamabad Capital Territory will be declared malaria free by 2025, while KP, Sindh and Balochistan will reduce their malaria incidence up to 70 per cent by 2030 and Pakistan will be malaria free by 2035.

According to a statement issued by WHO on Wednesday, so far 42 countries or territories have reached the malaria-free milestone. Certification of malaria elimination is an official recognition by WHO of a country's malaria-free status.

Situation in Pakistan

An NHS ministry official, requesting not to be quoted, said the ministry had that in 2020 contacted WHO to start process for declaring Punjab malaria free. 'WHO agreed, but process could not be stated as management in Malaria Control...