YEREVAN, JULY 19, ARMENPRESS. Armenia is classified as polio-free and malaria-free by the World Health Organization. Local measles and congenital rubella syndromes have also been eliminated.

The elimination of these diseases is the result of large-scale actions, especially preventive vaccinations, Lilit Avetisyan, deputy director of the National Center of Disease Prevention and Control told ARMENPRESS.

“WHO recognized Armenia as malaria-free in 2011, and in 2002 as polio-free. No polio cases have been recorded even since 1995, when at that time this disease continued to be diagnosed in many countries worldwide”, she said.

Malaria cases were diagnosed in Armenia since 1994, which was an obstacle for tourism. But through large scale work, this disease has been eliminated.

However, during the past 7 years Leishmaniasis is observed in Armenia.

“In the last 5-7 years, more than one dozen cases were recorded. This disease hasn’t been seen in Armenia for dozens of years, this activeness is associated with the presence of this disease in the neighboring countries”, she said.

Avetisyan said the center and the healthcare ministry is taking appropriate and relevant actions in this direction as well.