Key messages
“Zero malaria starts with me”
A pregnant African woman taking malarial medication.
Since 2000, malaria-affected countries and their development partners have made remarkable progress in reducing the total number of malaria cases and deaths.
But the toll of malaria remains unacceptably high. Every two minutes, a child dies of this preventable and treatable disease. And each year, more than 200 million new cases of the disease are reported.
WHO is particularly concerned by trends seen in recent years (since 2015). Our latest World malaria report shows that progress has levelled off and, in some countries, malaria is on the rise. Two critical targets of our global malaria strategy are likely to be missed.
Changing the trajectory of current malaria trends will require stepped-up and coordinated action by all stakeholders. But progress can only be achieved through malaria responses that are country-owned.
As we mark this year’s World Malaria Day, WHO joins the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, the African Union Commission and other partner organizations in promoting “Zero malaria starts with me”, a grassroots campaign that aims to:
- keep malaria high on the political agenda
- mobilize additional resources
- empower communities to take ownership of malaria prevention and care