‘About 2.2b malaria cases, 12.7m deaths averted globally since 2000’

About 2.2 billion malaria cases and 12.7 million deaths were averted globally between 2000 and 2023, according to the 2024 World Malaria Report.

The report also revealed that 44 countries and one territory have received official malaria-free certification from the World Health Organisation (WHO), with many others progressing steadily towards elimination.

It noted that some high-burden countries have recorded significant reductions in malaria cases. However, despite these achievements, malaria remains a formidable global health challenge, with 597,000 lives lost in 2023 alone.

The African Region continues to bear the brunt of the disease, with 11 African countries accounting for about two-thirds of the global malaria burden, according to the report.

In 2023, the region contributed an estimated 94 per cent of global malaria cases and 95 per cent of malaria-related deaths. Four countries—Nigeria (30.9 per cent), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (11.3 per cent), Niger (5.9 per cent), and Tanzania (4.3 per cent)—accounted for over half of these deaths.

Speaking on the report, the Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Mr Peters Sand, said many of the countries hardest hit by malaria are also on the front lines of climate change.

“In Sub-Saharan Africa, where a child dies of malaria every minute, shifting weather patterns—from intense rainfall to extreme heatwaves and prolonged droughts—not only alter the geography of malaria but also deepen existing inequalities,” Sand noted.

He highlighted that water shortages, power outages, and disruptions to supply chains further strain fragile healthcare systems, while food insecurity and poverty weaken immune defences and overwhelm community health workers.

Despite the availability of tools such as dual-active ingredient nets, seasonal chemoprevention, and new vaccines, progress against malaria has stagnated for years. Sand called for accelerated efforts, combining investments in new technologies with measures to ease the strain that climate change places on healthcare systems.

“This often means returning to the basics—providing health workers with essential resources like bicycles, mobile phones, or even a daily meal, ensuring they can deliver life-saving services to those who need them most,” he said.

Sand stressed that increasing investments to end malaria could save millions of lives while rebalancing global economic power and stimulating trade. “Malaria investment is not just a health imperative—it is a strategic driver of broader, far-reaching economic and social benefits,” he added.