The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that global malaria-related deaths have returned to pre-COVID-19 levels. Despite this progress, the organization emphasized the need for accelerated action to combat the disease, which claimed approximately 597,000 lives in 2023.
A recent WHO report estimated 263 million malaria cases worldwide in 2023, an increase of 11 million from the previous year, although the death toll has stabilized. Arnaud Le Menach from WHO’s Global Malaria Programme stated that mortality rates have returned to figures seen before the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2020, pandemic-related disruptions led to an additional 55,000 malaria deaths. Since then, both the total number of deaths and the mortality rate have gradually decreased. However, the mortality rate in Africa, at 52.4 deaths per 100,000 people at risk, remains significantly higher than the 2030 target set in the global malaria strategy.
WHO highlighted malaria vaccine distribution as a promising development. The RTS,S and R21/Matrix-M vaccines are expected to save tens of thousands of lives annually. Since their introduction in 2019, nearly two million children in Malawi, Kenya, and Ghana have received the RTS,S vaccine, leading to a 13% drop in malaria mortality in these countries during a four-year pilot program.
Seventeen African nations have already incorporated malaria vaccines into their immunization programs, with eight more approved for funding through GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance. WHO anticipates similar reductions in mortality in countries introducing these vaccines.
Additionally, the wider use of dual-insecticide-treated mosquito nets, which combine pyrrole and pyrethroid insecticides, has shown significant promise. These nets have prevented an estimated 13 million malaria cases and 25,000 deaths over three years.
Despite these advancements, challenges persist. Insufficient funding, limited vaccine supplies, and climate change—enabling the wider spread of malaria-carrying mosquitoes—are slowing progress. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for increased investments and action in high-burden African countries to combat the disease effectively.
Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund, echoed the call for urgent action, emphasizing the need to invest in new technologies and address climate change’s impact on healthcare systems to revitalize efforts against malaria.
