How to Eliminate Malaria

May 13, 2019

Malaria infections are on the rise and the World Health Organization is urging to get the global response to malaria back on track. Unfortunately, the toll of the disease remains unacceptably high.

The fight against malaria starts with steps everyone can take – may it be medical distributors, local residents or travelers.

Either providing antimalarial drugs and quick diagnostic tests, that are extremely important in detecting the disease, living in one of the exposed regions, constantly fighting against infected mosquito’s bites or only visiting the affected regions for a vacation, the help with malaria elimination starts with your education. More prevention and quicker action when needed will only follow the learning about transmission, symptoms, and the ilness itself.

Countries affected by malaria, together with their development partners, have made great steps towards its elimination since the year 2000. Still, more than 435,000 lives are claimed by the disease each year. Moreover, the 2018 World Malaria Report, issued by the WHO, reports 3.5 million more cases in the 10 most exposed African countries, compared to the year before.

The fact that every two minutes a child dies from this preventable and curable disease is unacceptable. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, General Director at WHO in the 2018 World Malaria Report

Children under 5 years old remain especially vulnerable, accounting for 61% of all deaths in 2017. It goes without saying, that these facts are devastating. Or as Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, general director of World Health Organization sums it in their report: “The fact that every two minutes a child dies from this preventable and curable disease is unacceptable.” In the end, the level of investment in malaria control remains inadequate.

Learn more about the World Health Organization campaign "Zero malaria starts with me", launched on 25th of April 2019, the World Malaria Day.

Dig deeper into facts and figures about the disease in 2018 World Malaria Report.