Saudi Arabia to be malaria-free by 2024: A health achievement, with Jazan leading the monitoring efforts
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has achieved a significant milestone in its healthcare journey, with the Ministry of Health officially announcing that the Kingdom will be completely free of any locally transmitted (endemic) cases of malaria during 2024. This announcement is the culmination of decades of efforts to combat disease vectors and epidemics, reflecting the effectiveness of the epidemiological surveillance strategies and control programs implemented, despite the continued monitoring of imported cases.
Accurate monitoring and imported cases
Official data revealed that, although no local cases were recorded, medical teams detected 7,041 positive cases, all of which were imported or brought in from abroad. These cases were discovered thanks to the vigilance of the health system, which conducted thorough laboratory tests on more than 654,000 samples across various regions and border crossings, thus preventing the disease from spreading or becoming reintroduced.
In the detailed medical classification of the discovered parasites, Plasmodium falciparum, medically known as the most malignant and dangerous type, accounted for the largest share with 3,798 cases. Plasmodium vivax ovale (the benign trivalent) came in second with 2,876 cases, while Plasmodium malariae (the benign tetravalent) was limited to only 54 cases, in addition to 313 mixed cases.
Jazan... the southern stronghold of the Kingdom
The Jazan region topped the list of regions in monitoring operations, confirming its pivotal role as a first line of defense due to its border location. The region recorded the highest testing rates and positive results, with a total exceeding 149,000 tests, revealing 3,251 confirmed cases, all of which originated from abroad, including 2,099 malignant cases.
In the remaining regions, Asir ranked second with 869 positive cases out of more than 23,000 samples tested, followed by Jeddah with 667 cases, the majority of which were mild cases. The capital, Riyadh, recorded 513 imported cases after testing 66,000 people, while the Eastern Province intensified its efforts, conducting more than 124,000 tests, which resulted in the detection of 434 imported cases.
Historical context and strategic importance
This achievement marks a pivotal step in the history of public health in the Kingdom, as some regions, particularly in the south, have historically faced environmental and geographical challenges that have made them fertile ground for disease vectors. The success in halting local transmission of the disease is a result of rigorous national programs that included targeted spraying, swamp drainage, community awareness campaigns, and ongoing collaboration with the World Health Organization.
This announcement is of paramount importance within the framework of Saudi Vision 2030, as it reinforces the Kingdom's position as a safe destination for tourism and investment and enhances quality of life indicators. Furthermore, the Kingdom's continued absence of local cases for three consecutive years qualifies it to receive official malaria elimination certification from the World Health Organization, which constitutes international recognition of the robustness of the Saudi healthcare system and its ability to safeguard national and regional health security.
