PAHO /WHO Country Office Suriname
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Paramaribo, Suriname, 13 August 2026 – The Government of Suriname and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) today opened the Subregional Meeting Malaria Elimination in the Guiana Shield, bringing together high-level delegations from Brazil, France (French Guiana), Guyana, and host country Suriname. The landmark gathering is focused on strengthening cross-border collaboration and advancing malaria elimination efforts across the subregion.
A highlight of the meeting was its official opening by Her Excellency the President of the Republic of Suriname, Dr. Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, whose presence affirmed Suriname’s highest-level political commitment to malaria elimination and regional cooperation. The meeting also featured the participation of the Assistant Director of PAHO, Dr. Rhonda Sealey-Thomas, whose visit underscores the strategic importance of the Guiana Shield in achieving malaria elimination in the Americas. The presence of PAHO’s senior leadership reflects the organization’s continued commitment to supporting countries in addressing malaria transmission among mobile populations, mining communities, Indigenous peoples, and residents of remote border regions.
The meeting comes at a pivotal moment for the region. Suriname's certification as a malaria free country in 2025, the first country in the Amazon region to eliminate malaria stands as a milestone for public health in the Americas and demonstrates that elimination is achievable through strong political commitment, effective surveillance, community engagement, and sustained investment.
“Malaria does not stop at our borders, and neither can our response. By hosting this meeting, Suriname reaffirms its commitment to working shoulder to shoulder with our neighbors to protect the gains we have made together and to carry the entire Guiana Shield toward elimination” said H.E. André Misiekaba, Minister of Health, Welfare and Labor of Suriname.
“Suriname’s achievement stands as compelling evidence that malaria elimination is achievable, even in environments characterized by dense forests, dispersed populations, and complex patterns of human mobility,” said Dr. Sealey-Thomas. “Malaria remains a cross-border challenge that no nation can overcome in isolation. Sustained elimination will require a shared vision, coordinated action, and enduring collaboration among all countries and territories of the Shield.”
Over two days, senior health officials, technical experts, diplomatic representatives and development partners will review the malaria situation across the Guiana Shield and identify practical solutions to accelerate progress toward elimination. Discussions will focus on strengthening access to diagnosis and treatment, improving surveillance and cross-border coordination, addressing malaria among mining and mobile populations, and leveraging new innovations in diagnostics, treatment, and digital health.
The countries face common challenges, including highly mobile populations, transmission linked to gold-mining activities, difficult-to-access border areas, and the need to prevent the emergence of resistance to antimalarial medicines. Because malaria transmission dynamics transcend national borders, coordinated regional action is essential to achieving sustainable elimination.
The key objective of the meeting is to strengthen political and technical cooperation among the participating countries and to advance a shared vision for malaria elimination in the Guiana Shield. Participants are expected to reaffirm their collective commitment to coordinated action and accountability.
