World Malaria Day – 25 April 2024 “Accelerating the fight against malaria for a more equitable world” World Malaria Day, observed on April 25 annually aims to raise awareness on the global efforts to control and ultimately eradicate malaria. Malaria is an acute febrile illness caused by Plasmodium parasites, which are spread to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. It is preventable and curable. In recent years, progress in reducing malaria has ground to a standstill. Not only does malaria continue to directly endanger health and cost lives, but it also perpetuates a vicious cycle of inequity. People living in the most vulnerable situations including pregnant women, infants, and children under 5 years of age, refugees, migrants, internally displaced people, and Indigenous Peoples continue to be disproportionately impacted.
The WHO African Region shoulders the heaviest burden of the disease – accounting, in 2022, for 94% and 95% of malaria case and deaths. Rural populations in the African region living in situations of poverty and with less access to education are the most impacted. In view of the current trajectory, critical 2025 milestones of the WHO global malaria strategy for reductions in malaria cases and deaths will be missed.
Why are pregnant women, young children and other groups in vulnerable situations not accessing the malaria services they need? On World Malaria Day 2024, WHO joins the RBM Partnership to End Malaria and other partners in highlighting barriers to health equity, gender equality and human rights in malaria responses worldwide – as well as concrete measures to overcome them.
Achieving the Vision of a Malaria-free World
Everyone has the right to quality, timely, and affordable services to prevent, detect, and treat malaria, yet this is not a reality for all.
Infants and young children continue to suffer the greatest mortality; in 2022, an estimated 4 out of 5 malaria-related deaths in the African Region were among children under 5 years of age. Inequities in access to education and financial resources further exacerbates risk: children under 5 years of age from the poorest households in sub-Saharan Africa are 5 times more likely to be infected with malaria than those from the wealthiest households.
Pregnancy reduces a woman’s immunity to malaria, making her more susceptible to infection and increasing her risk of severe disease and death. Gender inequalities, discrimination and harmful gender norms heighten her risk of contracting the disease. If untreated, malaria in pregnancy can cause severe anemia, maternal death, stillbirth, premature delivery, and low-birth weight babies.
Refugees, migrants, internally displaced people and Indigenous Peoples are also at higher risk of malaria and may disproportionately experience adverse conditions where malaria thrives. Climate change and humanitarian emergencies, including natural disasters and conflicts in malaria-endemic countries, are displacing populations making them vulnerable to the disease. These and other at-risk groups continue to be excluded from the services they need to prevent, detect and treat malaria, hindering progress on achieving the vision of a malaria-free world.
On World Malaria Day, let’s “Accelerate the fight against malaria for a more equitable world” through:
• Ending discrimination and stigma
• Engaging communities in health decision-making
• Bringing health care close to where people live and work through primary health care
• Addressing factors that increase malaria risk
• Including malaria control interventions in universal health coverage
