On June 11, Paraguay became the first country to be certified malaria-free by the World Health Organization (WHO) in more than 40 years. This is the latest in a series of triumphs for global efforts to combat infectious diseases. In December, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative reported a 99 percent reduction in annual polio cases since 1988. Between 2000 and 2016, the WHO estimates that new HIV infections fell 39 percent and, although still a leading cause of death worldwide, tuberculosis claimed 53 million fewer lives due to better diagnosis and treatment.