Africa Bears Brunt of Global Malaria Burden

Africa continues to shoulder the heaviest load in the global fight against malaria, accounting for 94% of all cases and bearing the brunt of the disease’s devastating impact. According to the World Health Organisation’s 2024 World Malaria Report, 11 African countries are at the epicenter of the crisis, recording approximately two-thirds of global malaria cases and deaths. These countries are Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

The statistics are alarming, with 11 million more cases reported in 2023 compared to 2022, and 600,000 lives lost to the disease without any significant improvement in mortality rates. Existing prevention methods, such as drugs, bed nets, and vaccines, have saved millions of lives but are unlikely to be enough to eliminate the disease completely.

The Human Cost of Malaria

Malaria’s impact goes beyond mere statistics, affecting the most vulnerable populations, particularly children under five and the poorest communities. Krystal Birungi, Research Associate for Outreach at Target Malaria, highlights the disease’s crippling effects: “The reality is malaria kills mostly children under five in Africa, and hits the poorest hardest—fueling a cycle of poverty, underproductivity, underinvestment, impeding overall development.” Birungi emphasizes the potential benefits of redirecting resources spent on malaria towards education, infrastructure, and economic growth, stating, “Imagine what our continent could achieve if the resources spent on malaria were freed up for education, infrastructure, and economic growth. But we will only get there if we match bold innovation with bold investment”.

The Need for Sustained Funding

The Global Fund’s plea for $18 billion in funding to save 23 million lives between 2027 and 2029 underscores the urgent need for sustained investment in malaria research and control efforts. Birungi stresses the importance of global funding, saying, “The Global Fund needs US$18 billion to save 23 million lives between 2027 and 2029, and reduce the combined mortality rate by another 64 per cent, relative to 2023 levels, and to prevent around 400 million infections”. Target Malaria’s gene drive technology offers a promising solution, aiming to provide protection from malaria mosquitoes for everyone in the community, regardless of their education, wealth, or access to healthcare services.

A Call to Action

As the global fight against malaria intensifies, organizations like Target Malaria remain committed to eliminating the disease. Birungi concludes, “But, our work does not happen in isolation and sustained global funding for malaria research remains essential. For this World Malaria Day, now is the time to double down because eliminating malaria isn’t just possible—it’s inevitable, if we choose to fund it and fight for it together”. With malaria being a leading cause of death in many African countries, including Uganda, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it’s clear that collective action is necessary to combat this public health challenge.