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Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/123526
Factors Associated with the Rapid and Durable Decline in Malaria Incidence in El Salvador, 1980-2017
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A decade after the Global Malaria Eradication Program, El
Salvador had the highest burden of malaria in Mesoamerica, with
approximately 20% due to Plasmodium falciparum. A resurgence of
malaria in the 1970s led El Salvador to alter its national
malaria control strategy. By 1995, El Salvador recorded its last
autochthonous P. falciparum case with fewer than 20 Plasmodium
vivax cases annually since 2011. By contrast, its immediate
neighbors continue to have the highest incidences of malaria in
the region. We reviewed and evaluated the policies and
interventions implemented by the Salvadoran National Malaria
Program that likely contributed to this progress toward malaria
elimination. Decentralization of the malaria program, early
regional stratification by risk, and data-driven
stratum-specific actions resulted in the timely and targeted
allocation of resources for vector control, surveillance, case
detection, and treatment. Weekly reporting by health workers and
volunteer collaborators-distributed throughout the country by
strata and informed via the national surveillance system-enabled
local malaria teams to provide rapid, adaptive, and focalized
program actions. Sustained investments in surveillance and
response have led to a dramatic reduction in local transmission,
with most current malaria cases in El Salvador due to
importation from neighboring countries. Additional support for
systematic elimination efforts in neighboring countries would
benefit the region and may be needed for El Salvador to achieve
and maintain malaria elimination. El Salvador's experience
provides a relevant case study that can guide the application of
similar strategies in other countries committed to malaria
elimination.
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BURTON, R. A., et al. Factors Associated with the Rapid and Durable Decline in Malaria Incidence in El Salvador, 1980-2017. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 2018. Vol. 99, num. 1, pags. 33-42. ISSN 0002-9637. [consulted: 19 of May of 2026]. Available at: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/123526