In 1955, the World Health Organization launched the Global Malaria Eradication Program, employing DDT and antimalarial medications in an ambitious effort to combat malaria worldwide. While the program achieved partial successes, it also faced significant challenges and criticisms regarding its environmental and health impacts. The initiative highlighted the complexities of global health interventions and set the stage for ongoing efforts to address malaria and other infectious diseases.

Intensified global malaria eradication efforts in 1955 featured prominently in postcolonial literature, addressing themes of medicine and development challenges. Poets like Derek Walcott reflected on the intersection of health and colonial legacies in their narratives.