24Apr 25
As the world marks World Malaria Day this week, we are reminded that malaria remains one of the oldest and deadliest diseases in human history. Despite decades of global effort, it continues to claim half a million lives each year. The overwhelming majority of these deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa, where it is estimated that one person dies of the disease every minute. This year’s World Malaria Day theme: Malaria Ends with Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite is a reminder that we must renew our commitment to end malaria and rethink our approach to fighting the disease.
Image: World Health Organization (WHO)
The malaria burden in Africa remains unacceptably high. The impact of the disease extends beyond health. Malaria strains healthcare systems, reduces productivity, and hinders economic development. In many African countries, malaria-related absenteeism and healthcare costs place a significant burden on families and communities.
Over the past two decades, significant progress has been made in the fight against malaria. Control programs involving the distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets, indoor residual spraying, and artemisinin-based combination therapies have resulted in a decline in malaria infections and deaths. But several challenges now threaten these gains. Insecticide resistance is rising, making it harder to control mosquito populations with the tools we have relied on for decades. Antimalarial drug resistance is emerging in some regions, complicating treatment. Urban malaria is becoming a growing concern, in part due to the spread of species such as Anopheles stephensi, a mosquito native to parts of South Asia and the Arabian Peninsula, which has been detected in several African countries. Climate change is shifting transmission dynamics, altering mosquito habitats and infection patterns, bringing malaria to new areas and intensifying the burden of the disease in regions where it was already present. By the 2030s, it is estimated that an additional 147 to 171 million additional Africans could be at risk of malaria.
Amidst this “perfect storm” of challenges, a substantial funding gap is further hindering efforts. In 2023, around US$4 billion was invested globally in malaria control, far short of the nearly US$8.3 billion needed to stay on track. The 2025 U.S. funding cuts are compounding an already critical situation – particularly for national malaria programmes in Africa. This has led to gaps in coverage of essential interventions, particularly in hard-to-reach and underserved populations. Without increased investment, gains will be hard to sustain.
The global campaign for this World Malaria Day is centered around four key pillars: re-energizing efforts at all levels, sustaining investments, engaging communities and promoting innovative strategies and approaches that can overcome existing challenges and accelerate progress to end malaria.
As a scientist with over 10 years of research experience in malaria, I see both the complexity of the issue and the growing potential of new solutions. Innovation is indispensable. We need better tools and strategies to respond to changing mosquito behavior, combat insecticide and drug resistance, and new diagnostics that can effectively detect infections. Innovations such as genetic approaches for malaria control and data science could help enhance targeted interventions alongside existing efforts and frontline expertise. Additionally, the development of new tools, such as rapid diagnostic tests and vaccines, holds great promise for further reducing the disease burden.
Damaris Matoke-Muhia, Senior Principal Research Scientist, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI). Photograph: Malaria No More UK
We also need to keep listening to those who live with malaria every day. The World Malaria Report 2024 emphasizes that communities must be part of designing and delivering solutions. Women, in particular, are central to this work. They are often the ones who ensure that interventions are utilized effectively; children sleep under nets, who recognize the signs of illness early, and who carry the emotional and financial weight of repeated infections. They are the first respondents in infection management.
Eliminating malaria in Africa is an ambitious but achievable goal. By working together and investing in evidence-based interventions, strengthening commitment and collaboration, and empowering women as key agents of change, we can save millions of lives and improve the health and well-being of communities across the continent. We need to reinvest in programs and partnerships that work. We need to reimagine what malaria control can look like in the face of new challenges and reignite global momentum with communities, scientists, and policymakers.
Now is the time for a big push. This year, the World Health Organization and the RBM Partnership to End Malaria are calling for collaboration between researchers, policymakers, and program implementers to rapidly translate research findings into real-world impact. Malaria ends with us. With our decisions, our dedication, and our willingness to do things differently. The time to act is now.
