Azerbaijan expects to receive malaria-free status
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SOCIETY  03 October 2022 - 17:47

The Ministry of Health of Azerbaijan held a meeting with the delegation of the Independent Evaluation Mission including members of the Technical Advisory Group on Malaria Elimination and Certification of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The WHO mission’s business trip to Azerbaijan started on October 3 and will last until October 14.

The meeting was also attended by Hande Harmanci, head of the WHO Azerbaijan office.

The press service of the Ministry of Health of Azerbaijan told Caliber.Az that Minister Teymur Musayev greeted the guests and stressed that Azerbaijan attaches great importance to cooperation with the World Health Organisation. According to him, Azerbaijan has been closely cooperating with this reputable organisation since 1992 and this cooperation is growing.

In his speech the minister talked of works done in our country on the prevention of malaria and eradication of its foci: "For many years, Azerbaijan has carried out large-scale activities to prevent malaria and eliminate its foci. As a result of these efforts, local transmission of malaria has been stopped since 2013.

Teymur Musayev reminded that as a result of the deteriorating socio-political situation in the country in connection with the known events of the early 90s, the chaotic migration of more than 1 million refugees and displaced persons, malaria has spread in large numbers and covered 80 per cent of the country: "In connection with the epidemiological situation, according to the recommendations of the World Health Organisation, a National Program has been developed. As a result of the successful implementation of this programme, the spread of the disease has been prevented and the incidence of the disease has been significantly reduced."

The minister stressed that progress in the elimination of malaria in Azerbaijan has been achieved by strengthening the national health system, and coordinated work of all structures of the Ministry of Health together with other ministries, departments, and organizations of the country. "The success in the fight against malaria has also been made possible by the multi-year comprehensive support of partners, among which the World Health Organization is in the lead," he concluded.

Keith Carter, a member of the WHO Evaluation Mission, noted Azerbaijan's invaluable contribution to the elimination of malaria in the region and the preservation of the status of a malaria-free country. He said that in September 2021, the Azerbaijani Health Ministry sent an official request to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to start the certification process for malaria eradication in Azerbaijan. As part of this process, the WHO certification mission visited Azerbaijan from May 16 to 20, 2022. Besides, in June 2022, the Ministry of Health submitted the "National Report on the fight against malaria in the Republic of Azerbaijan" to the WHO Global Malaria Control Program along with the required package of documents.

As a result of the two-week work of the Evaluation Mission with separate components of the malaria control system and based on the results of the work done in the country, WHO is expected to certify Azerbaijan as a "malaria-free" country.

Caliber.Az