Malaria Measures: One Country’s Success Is Another’s Inspiration

Inspired by other countries’ journeys, Southeast Asia has doubled down on its fight to defeat malaria. Since 2000, the number of cases has dropped by 80%, with many nations like Malaysia transitioning from disease control to elimination.

Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand have adopted the 1-3-7 approach – reporting confirmed cases within 1 day, investigating cases within 3 days, and initiating responses within 7 days – as well as Myanmar and Vietnam, but with variations. As for Malaysia, the nation uses real-time digital reporting, allowing health workers to respond to new cases immediately.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) looks up to Egypt, whose decades of dedicated efforts led to its malaria-free WHO certification in 2024. ASEAN countries are applying proven successful measures, like launching public information campaigns, accelerating case detection, delivering timely treatment, and deploying target mosquito control within days, with promising results. The region aims to eliminate Indigenous malaria cases by 2030.