"One of our main goals is to achieve international certification of São Tomé and Príncipe as a malaria-free country by 2030. This is an ambitious challenge, but we are determined to make it a reality," declared the Minister of Health and Women's Rights of São Tomé and Príncipe, at the central event of World Malaria Day, which is being marked today. However, Ângela Costa admitted that there are still "several challenges," namely "the lack of financial and technical resources in certain areas, as well as geographical and infrastructural difficulties," requiring "creative and collaborative approaches" to strengthen "surveillance systems, improve coverage of preventive interventions, and ensure equitable access to health services throughout the country." "Despite these challenges, we are confident that with the continued support of our international partners, the dedication of our health teams, and the commitment of our communities, we can overcome these barriers and achieve our goal of a malaria-free São Tomé and Príncipe," she said. The Minister of Health stressed that São Tomé and Príncipe "has made significant progress in the fight against malaria thanks to the efforts of the Government and the support of development partners and the hard work" of health professionals. "Access to diagnostics and treatments has improved substantially, resulting in a notable reduction in the incidence of the disease in many communities. In addition, our efforts in education and prevention have been tireless, guiding our populations to protect themselves and their families from this disease," said Ângela Costa. According to data presented at the event, from January to date, the country has registered 1,700 cases of malaria, of which 99.4% originated in the archipelago and 0.6% were imported from other countries on the African coast, resulting in 68 cases, equivalent to 4%, hospitalized. The district of Água Grande registered the most cases (666), followed by Mé-zóchi with 387, Lobata with 378, Cantagalo with 130, Lembá with 115, and the island of Príncipe, which was once close to eradicating the disease, has recorded 16 cases. The Caué district, in the south of São Tomé, is the only one that has not registered any cases of malaria. "This is not a concern because, as we know, during the rainy season cases increase, as is natural [...] we have not yet reached the epidemiological threshold, so we cannot say that there is a serious situation," Bonifácio Sousa, director of the National Endemic Disease Center, told Lusa. The representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) recalled that "according to the epidemiological data registered in the last three years, the country has registered a resurgence of cases" that has compromised "the objective of elimination by 2025." Françoise Bigirimana assured that "WHO is intensifying its technical support" to São Tomé and Príncipe "to eliminate the obstacles to the elimination" of malaria, planning for 2024, for various activities and strategies", including the evaluation of the therapeutic efficacy of the medicines used to treat malaria, the evaluation of the public acceptance of the interventions to combat malaria, and the development of an integrated communication strategy adapted to the context of the archipelago. Read Also: USA considers that there is a lack of accountability for corruption in São Tomé (Portuguese version)