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Malaria heads the list of diseases obstructing the development of the human race. The disease is transferred from person to person through the bite of the female mosquito Anopheles. When, at the beginning of this century, our pioneer immigrants looked for suitable places for their agricultural settlements they decided on districts of swamps and marshes which were rich in water and practically unpopulated; tens of thousands of them contracted malaria.
Various Jewish institutions as well as the Mandatory Government tried to eradicate the disease. Research proved that there were 14 species of Anopheles in the country and yielded data concerning the incidence rate of the disease caused by them; various methods of treatment were applied. The population was informed about the disease and how to prevent it. Draining of swamps, covering of wells, planting of eucalyptus trees, spraying of breeding places and dispersion in all water sources of gambusia affinis, a fish feeding on mosquito larvae, were carried out, In addition, windows were screened and mosquito nets were used. In 1946 the use of DDT was introduced. The number of malaria cases fell gradually but still numbered many thousands.
With the proclamation of the State of Israel all anti-malaria work was centralized with the Ministry of Health. At the time many immigrants from malaria-infested countries entered the State. Anti-malaria work was increased and the malaria cases dipped from 0.16% in 1948 to 0.002% in 1960 and one kind of Anopheles, the most important malaria vector in the country, was exterminated.
In 1960 Israel joined the world-wide campaign organized by the United Nations for the eradication of malaria. Modern medical treatment is given to everybody infected.
On the occasion of the malaria campaign, special postage stamps were issued in many countries, among them in Israel. Their slogan "The World United in the War against Malaria."
