The World Health Organization (WHO) has certified that China has eliminated malaria.

The certification was given by the WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday as a token of celebration of the country’s successful elimination of the disease after 70 years of its struggles against malaria.

“Today we congratulate the people of China on ridding the country of malaria.

“Their successes were hard-earned and came only after decades of targeted and sustained action,” he said.  

China’s efforts against malaria started in the 1950s, as the disease was rampant in the southern part of the country, close to other hotspots in mainland Southeast Asia.

Over the last two decades, China ramped up its efforts and reduced the number of cases in the 1990s from 117,000 to 5,000 annually by providing staff training, laboratory equipment, antimalarial medicines and new methods to control mosquito propagation.

No cases were reported in China in the last four years, warranting the malaria-free credential by the WHO.