Reaching the zero malaria target
WHO celebrates World Malaria Day each year on 25 April to underscore the collective energy and commitment of the global malaria community in uniting around the common goal of a world free of malaria.
This year, WHO and partners will recognize the achievements of countries that are nearing malaria elimination, as well as those that have crossed the finish line. They provide inspiration for all nations that are working to stamp out this deadly disease and improve the health and livelihoods of their populations.
In recent years progress towards elimination has plateaued, and many prevention campaigns have been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the Western Pacific Region, 80% of malaria cases are reported in Papua New Guinea. When taken together with Cambodia and Solomon Islands, the three countries comprise 98% of the estimated cases in the Region. There were roughly 250 reported deaths in the region due to malaria. Still, five out of the 10 malaria endemic countries in the region are on target to achieve more than a 40% reduction in case incidence by 2021.
Malaria elimination in the Greater Mekong
In the face of the dual threat of antimalarial drug resistance and COVID-19, countries of the Greater Mekong subregion have made major gains towards their goal of malaria elimination by 2030.
For the period 2000 to 2020, the 6 countries of the subregion – Cambodia, China (Yunnan Province), Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam – reported a 97% reduction in malaria cases. There were an estimated 15 malaria-related deaths in these 6 countries in 2020 compared to 6000 deaths in the year 2000 – a reduction of more than 99%.
New E-2020 group report
On 21 April, ahead of World Malaria Day, WHO will publish a new report highlighting successes and lessons learned among the “E-2020” group of malaria-eliminating countries. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of these countries reported zero indigenous malaria cases in 2020, while others made impressive progress in their journey to becoming malaria-free.
Join a virtual event on malaria elimination on 21 April and hear about country efforts to achieve zero malaria.
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