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This summary draws from a feature on the Asian Scientist Magazine. The full article is available here.
China’s certification as malaria‑free in June 2021 marks one of the most significant public health achievements in recent history. After decades of battling the disease, the country’s success offers valuable lessons for other countries still confronting malaria, particularly across the Asia Pacific region where billions remain at risk.
China’s fight against malaria was once in crisis. In the 1940s, malaria infected 30 million people and claimed more than 300,000 lives annually. A major turning point came with the landmark discovery of artemisinin, which remains a cornerstone of malaria treatment to this day. To further intensify malaria control, China was also among the early adopters of insecticide‑treated nets (ITNs), extensively testing their use long before the World Health Organization formally recommended ITNs as an effective preventive tool. While malaria cases declined significantly over time, imported cases and the growing threat of antimalarial drug resistance remained a concern in China's last mile towards achieving elimination. These issues were particularly pronounced in border regions like Yunnan, where their proximity to malaria-endemic neighbors posed great challenges.
In response, China introduced the innovative “1‑3‑7” strategy in 2012, requiring malaria cases to be reported within one day, confirmed and assessed within three days, and responded to within seven days. This approach was reinforced through the establishment of malaria posts in border areas and the launch of cross‑border assistance programmes to ensure interventions were precisely targeted where risks remained highest. Together, these measures helped China achieve zero indigenous malaria cases by 2017.
The impact of the “1‑3‑7” model has extended beyond China - Cambodia has since adapted the approach with notable success, demonstrating its potential for wider application across other settings. As noted by Dr. Sarthak Das, Chief Executive Officer of APLMA, China’s experience reflects the importance of tailoring interventions to local contexts and highlights the critical role of cross‑border collaboration in sustaining elimination gains across shared borders.
China’s achievement stands as compelling proof that malaria elimination is attainable, with lessons from its experience that remain highly relevant for countries in the region still battling the disease.
