PAHO/WHO Technical Officer, Tropical and Vector-borne Diseases Oscar Mesones Lapouble and Malaria Elimination Advisor, Dr. Blanca Escribano with Dr Hélène Hiwat at the 4th Global Forum of Malaria-Eliminating Countries
Suriname, January 31, 2023 (PAHO) –At the invitation of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Ministry of Health Suriname participated in the 4th Global Forum of Malaria Eliminating Countries which took place in Cape Town, South Africa from January 24 – 26, 2023. The WHO used this opportunity to present a "special recognition award" to a number of countries, including Suriname.
The award was presented to countries that had made significant progress toward malaria elimination at the end of 2021. Suriname has achieved a more than 50 percent reduction in malaria cases by the end of 2021 compared to the previous year. Dr. Hélène Hiwat, coordinator of the Malaria Program was presented with the award on behalf of the Ministry of Health, Suriname.
Meanwhile, the Malaria Program reports that the year 2022 ended even better than 2021, with zero local or indigenous malaria cases. However, more than 60 cases of malaria were found among travelers coming from malaria endemic areas in the region.
The Ministry of Health is committed to eliminate malaria by 2025 and to prevent the reintroduction of locally transmitted malaria in Suriname as a result of imported cases. Together with PAHO/WHO, the multi-year trajectory toward the malaria-free certification of Suriname will now be initiated. An important condition for this is that Suriname be malaria-free for at least three years and that national capacity for malaria surveillance and malaria prevention and vector control interventions be maintained at a high level.
