…Once ravaged by over 223,000 malaria cases, the young Southeast Asian nation celebrates a hard-won public health victory built on community resilience, political will, and global collaboration.
By Bunmi Yekini
In a historic milestone for public health and global malaria eradication efforts, the World Health Organization (WHO) has officially certified Timor-Leste as malaria-free, a feat that underscores what determined national leadership and strategic health investment can achieve.
“WHO congratulates the people and government of Timor-Leste on this significant milestone,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Timor-Leste’s success proves that malaria can be stopped in its tracks when strong political will, smart interventions, sustained domestic and external investment and dedicated health workers unite.”
The announcement marks Timor-Leste as the 47th country and first in nearly a decade to be certified malaria-free. It becomes the third country in the WHO South-East Asia Region, after Maldives and Sri Lanka, to achieve this status, a recognition granted only when a country can prove three consecutive years without any indigenous malaria transmission.
But for Timor-Leste, the journey to zero was far from easy.
“We did it. Malaria has been one of our most relentless enemies, silent, persistent, and deadly. We lost too many lives to a disease that should be preventable,” said Dr Élia António de Araújo dos Reis Amaral, Timor-Leste’s Minister of Health. “But our health workers never gave up, our communities held strong, and our partners, like WHO, walked beside us. From 223,000 cases to zero, this elimination honours every life lost and every life now saved.”
A Two-Decade Journey
After gaining independence in 2002, Timor-Leste wasted no time in prioritizing malaria as a public health threat. By 2003, the country had established a National Malaria Programme, with just two full-time officers, that laid the foundation for a nationwide elimination strategy. The peak came in 2006, with over 223,000 clinically diagnosed malaria cases. Yet, by 2021, that number had dropped to zero.
The turnaround was driven by timely interventions: the rollout of artemisinin-based therapies, widespread use of insecticide-treated nets, improved diagnosis with rapid diagnostic tests, and indoor residual spraying campaigns, particularly in remote areas.
The country’s resource-constrained health system, long plagued by a shortage of doctors and workers, pivoted by expanding community outreach, monthly mobile clinics, and health posts, ensuring that even rural communities could access care within walking distance. As part of its commitment to equity, the government also provides free universal healthcare to all citizens.
The Power of Partnership
Behind the scenes, a diverse ecosystem of support helped fuel the mission. Alongside WHO’s technical and policy guidance, The Global Fund, non-governmental organizations, and local community volunteers played critical roles. A real-time surveillance system helped identify and trace potential cases swiftly, even at national borders, preventing outbreaks and ensuring rapid response.
“Timor-Leste’s malaria-free certification is a defining national triumph – driven by bold leadership, tireless efforts of health workers, and the resolve of its people,*” said Dr Arvind Mathur, WHO Representative to Timor-Leste. “As a young nation, Timor-Leste stayed focused, testing, treating, and investigating swiftly. Ending transmission and maintaining zero deaths takes more than science; it takes grit.”
Safeguarding the Future
While the celebration is well-earned, officials stress that the work isn’t over. Malaria remains endemic in many parts of Southeast Asia, and the threat of re-entry looms.
“We must safeguard this victory with continued vigilance and community action,” Dr Amaral emphasized. “The cost of complacency is too high.”
Timor-Leste’s success story stands as a beacon of what is possible when national vision meets global solidarity. It also serves as an inspiring case study for other nations still battling the disease.
As WHO’s Director-General put it: “This achievement belongs not just to Timor-Leste but to all those committed to a world free from malaria.”