World Health Organization declares Sri Lanka malaria free

On Tuesday September 6th 2016 Sri Lanka became the 3rd and most populous country in Asia continent to be declared malaria free by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Maldives and Singapore are the first two countries to be declared malaria free before Sri Lanka whose population is far more than that of the Maldives and Singapore.

The island nation’s feat comes with a backdrop of a thirty year civil war and limited resources, and puts it ahead of its neighboring countries India, Thailand and Bangladesh.


“Sri Lanka’s achievement is truly remarkable. In the mid-20th century it was among the most malaria-affected countries, but now it is malaria-free,” WHO Regional Director, Dr. Poonam Khetrapal Singh said. “This ….signifies the great leaps that can be made when targeted action is taken.”

In response, Sri Lanka’s health ministry said.

“Our biggest challenge is to ensure monitoring. International funding for Sri Lanka’s anti-malaria campaign ends in 2018 and after that the full financial responsibility falls on the government,” said former Director of Sri Lanka’s Anti-Malaria Campaign Dr. Risintha Premaratne.