Impact of the global malaria community
Between 2001 and 2015, the global malaria community helped avert 1.3 billion bouts of malaria illness and 6.8 million malaria deaths. This impressive progress was made possible thanks to the scale-up of control measures, like bed nets, insecticides, diagnostics, and medicines, underpinned by increased political commitment, new regional initiatives, and a rise in international financing. As a result, Millennium Development Goal 6.C, to halt and begin to reverse the incidence of malaria by 2015, was achieved.1
The World Malaria Report, the World Health Organization’s flagship malaria publication, highlights the following progress towards global targets:
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In 2019, an estimated 229 million cases of malaria occurred worldwide, compared with 251 million cases in 2010.
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The incidence rate of malaria declined globally between 2000 and 2019, from 80 to 57 cases per 1000 population at risk. However, from 2015 to 2019, the rate of change slowed dramatically, reducing to 58 in 2015 and remaining at similar levels through to 2019.
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In 2019, there were an estimated 409,000 deaths from malaria globally, compared with 416,000 estimated deaths in 2017, and 585,000 in 2010.
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In the period from 2000-2019, malaria deaths in the WHO African Region reduced by 44%, by 74% in WHO South-East Asia Region, by 16% in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, by 52% in WHO Western Pacific Region, and by 39% in the WHO Region of the Americas. Despite these gains, the malaria mortality reduction rate has also slowed since 2016.
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Globally, the elimination net is widening, with more countries moving towards zero indigenous cases: between 2000 and 2019, 21 countries had achieved 3 consecutive years of zero indigenous malaria cases; 10 of these countries were certified malaria-free by WHO.
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China and El Salvador had no indigenous malaria cases for a third consecutive year and have made a formal request for malaria-free certification.
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In 2016, WHO identified 21 countries with the potential to eliminate malaria by the year 2020. WHO is working with the governments in these countries – known as “E-2020 countries” – to support their elimination acceleration goal.
Despite this success, 2019 still witnessed 409,000 malaria deaths. The 2020 World Malaria Report reflects on key milestones that have shaped the global response to the disease over the last 2 decades – a period of unprecedented success in malaria control that saw 1.5 billion cases averted and 7.6 million lives saved.
We must not become complacent, or this tremendous progress will be reversed. Malaria remains a major cause and consequence of poverty – disproportionally affecting women and children. Eliminating and ultimately eradicating the disease would vastly improve the lives of many vulnerable families in the developing world, helping to lift them out of poverty.
The Global technical strategy for malaria 2016–2030, approved by the World Health Assembly in May 2015, sets ambitious but achievable targets for 2030. This strategy seeks to reduce the disease burden and eliminate malaria – objectives that are closely linked to several of the sustainable development goals, which call for action by all countries, poor, rich and middle-income to promote prosperity while protecting the planet.
1. World Malaria Report 2016
Source for all other figures: World Malaria Report 2020