July 2025 – The RBM Partnership to End Malaria congratulates Suriname on its groundbreaking achievement: becoming the first country in the Amazon region to be officially certified malaria-free by the World Health Organization (WHO). This success highlights what’s possible through unwavering political commitment, community-driven action and cross-sector collaboration in the fight against malaria.

Suriname’s path to elimination was far from easy. The country faced unique obstacles, including vast rainforests, mobile populations tied to mining activities and frequent cross-border travel. With a culturally diverse population of around 620,000 (World Bank) Suriname is one of South America’s smallest nations. Still, its economy thrives on abundant natural resources; particularly bauxite, which it is a leading global producer of. Indigenous and Maroon communities were especially vulnerable due to regular travel to neighboring malaria-endemic regions like French Guiana, Guyana, and Brazil.

What made Suriname’s success possible? A game-changing, community-embedded healthcare strategy. Instead of relying solely on traditional healthcare systems, Suriname integrated medical services directly into the heart of local communities. This approach didn’t just eliminate malaria – it built a sustainable model to keep the country malaria-free for good.

Suriname’s achievement proves that when healthcare is accessible and tailored to local cultures, communities become powerful partners in the fight against malaria. This grassroots model succeeded where conventional systems often struggle, completely halting transmission even in the most challenging environments.

The RBM Partnership acknowledges the vital contributions of key allies, including the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the U.S. and the Inter-American Development Bank. But the work isn’t over. Maintaining this progress is just as crucial as achieving it. Continued investment and political commitment will be essential to ensure malaria doesn’t return.

As we celebrate Suriname’s milestone, the RBM Partnership calls for sustained global efforts for a unified Big Push to eliminate malaria everywhere. Suriname’s story shows that with strong leadership, empowered communities, and cross-border cooperation, a malaria-free future is within reach.

The Big Push against Malaria, championed by RBM, is a 5-year action plan that focuses on six game changing actions: Stronger leadership, smarter spending, faster innovation, equitable access, deeper partnerships and sustainable financing. The Big Push builds on existing commitments such as the Yaoundé Declaration and Abuja Call, with one critical difference — speed in converting pledges into action and impact. Whether it is ensuring a child sleeps under a life-saving net, a clinic gets the right medicines or a farmer avoids lost harvests to illness, the Big Push gives the roadmap for global action to end malaria and transform lives faster. 

Embracing the Big Push pillars that lay ground for stronger surveillance and data sharing, accountability and accelerating introduction of new tools can enable more countries to get closer to malaria elimination.