GLOBAL BRIEFS

EGYPT: Egypt has been certified as malaria free by the World Health Organisation (WHO). “Malaria is as old as Egyptian civilisation itself, but the disease that plagued pharaohs now belongs to its history and not its future,” the WHO chief said. “This certification of Egypt as malaria-free is truly historic, and a testament to the commitment of the people and the government of Egypt to rid themselves of this ancient scourge,” he added. So far forty-four countries have been declared malaria-free, but it remains a serious health problem with 249 million cases in 2022.