WHO urges relaunch of malaria eradication campaign

On the occasion of World Malaria Day, celebrated on 25 April under the theme ‘Malaria is over: Reinvest, reinvent, reignite,’ the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for a renewed commitment by all nations to accelerate progress towards malaria elimination. Since 2000, efforts have averted more than two billion cases and nearly thirteen million deaths. To date, WHO has officially recognised 45 countries and one territory as malaria-free. Many countries with low malaria prevalence are making steady progress towards elimination. Of the remaining 83 countries where malaria is endemic, 25 reported fewer than ten cases in 2023. Despite significant progress, malaria remains a major public health problem, responsible for around six hundred thousand deaths in 2023 alone. The African region is the most affected, accounting for around 95% of the annual malaria burden. In many regions, progress has been hampered by fragile health systems and escalating challenges, including resistance to both drug treatments and insecticides, climate change, conflict, poverty, and population displacement. In addition, recent funding cuts projected for 2025 could further hamper progress in many countries where malaria is endemic, putting the most vulnerable populations at risk. The WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has asserted that strong political commitment, sustained investment, multisectoral action, and community engagement are pivotal to accelerating progress towards the targets set by the WHO Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016–2030.