Today is World Malaria Day. Invest in the future. Defeat malaria.
Malaria mortality rates have fallen by more than 25% globally since 2000 • In Africa, the reduction has been by 33%, • Progress has been faster in countries with lower numbers of cases and deaths,
50 countries are on track to reduce their malaria case incidence rates by 75%. Over 1.1 million lives have been saved.
But we are not there yet. Malaria still kills an estimated 660,000 people worldwide (91% in Africa), mainly (86%) children under five years of age in sub-Saharan Africa. Every year, approximately 219 million cases occur; most of these cases are never tested or registered.
World Malaria Day was instituted by WHO Member States during the World Health Assembly of 2007. It is an occasion to highlight the need for continued investment and sustained political commitment for malaria prevention and control. It is also an opportunity:
- for countries in affected regions to learn from each other's experiences and support each other's efforts;
- for new donors to join a global partnership against malaria;
- for research and academic institutions to flag scientific advances to both experts and the general public; and
- for international partners, companies and foundations to showcase their efforts and reflect on how to further scale up interventions.
