Saudi Arabia Soon To Successfully Eradicate Malaria, Health Minister Says

Saudi Arabia "within a short period of time" will have eradicated malaria because of a successful initiative aimed at fighting the disease, Health Minister Hamad Al-Manie said recently, Xinhua News Agency reports (Xinhua News Agency, 10/26). Al-Manie in August launched the initiative in conjunction with the start of the rainy season in the southern regions of Saudi Arabia, where the largest number of malaria cases are reported in the country. Under the initiative, insecticide spraying has been conducted among mosquito breeding grounds in the southern regions of Jizan and Asir, and efforts have been made to increase awareness about malaria among the country's population. In addition, the number of diagnostic and treatment units has increased along Saudi Arabia's border with Yemen, with eight and 10 units established in Asir and Jizan, respectively (GlobalHealthReporting.org, 8/24). According to Al-Manie, the malaria eradication campaign already is proving successful, and no malaria cases have been reported in Jizan since flooding occurred in August (Xinhua News Agency, 10/26).