Funding to control Malaria globally remains inadequate while fragile health systems, weak surveillance and other factors contributed to the surge in malaria cases for the fifth consecutive year. Malaria killed nearly 600,000 people worldwide in 2023 and the disease remains a serious global health threat, particularly in Africa, the World Health Organiastion (WHO) has said.
According to a new World malaria report released by WHO, there were an estimated 263 million cases and 597 000 malaria deaths worldwide in 2023. This represents about 11 million more cases in 2023 compared to 2022, and nearly the same number of deaths. Approximately 95% of the deaths occurred in Africa, where many at risk still lack access to the services they need to prevent, detect and treat the disease.
Biological threats such as rising resistance to drugs and insecticides, and climate and humanitarian disasters continue to hamper control efforts. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director general, has been quoted as saying by The Guardian, “No one should die of malaria; yet the disease continues to disproportionately harm people living in the African region, especially young children and pregnant women.”
There was now “an expanded package of life-saving tools” that protected against the disease, he said, but a need for more investment and action in the African countries with the highest rates, The Guardian reported.
According to WHO, funding for malaria control globally remains inadequate to reverse current trends, especially in high-burden African countries. In 2023, total funding reached an estimated US$ 4 billion, falling far short of the year’s funding target of US$ 8.3 billion set by the Global technical strategy. Insufficient funding has led to major gaps in coverage of insecticide-treated nets, medicines, and other life-saving tools, particularly for those most vulnerable to the disease.
Beyond funding, malaria-endemic countries continue to grapple with fragile health systems, weak surveillance, and rising biological threats, such as drug and insecticide resistance. In many areas, conflict, violence, natural disasters, climate change and population displacement are exacerbating already pervasive health inequities faced by people at higher risk of malaria, including pregnant women and girls, children aged under 5 years, Indigenous Peoples, migrants, persons with disabilities, and people in remote areas with limited healthcare access.
This year’s report highlights the need for a more inclusive and effective response to reach those most vulnerable to the disease. WHO urged countries to prioritize primary health care as the foundation of equitable and efficient health systems.
WHO is also calling for investments in robust data systems that are capable of monitoring health inequalities, including through the collection and analysis of data disaggregated by sex, age and other social stratifiers. Equity, gender equality and human rights should be the cornerstones of antimalarial innovation, with people most impacted by the disease engaged in the design and evaluation of new tools and approaches.
In India, according to Down to Earth, between 2017 and 2023, estimated malaria cases in India fell dramatically, from 6.4 million to 2 million — a 69 per cent decrease. Deaths also saw a steep decline, from 11,100 to 3,500, marking a 68 per cent reduction over the same period. This progress was attributed to implementation of evidence-based strategies, including improved vector control, early diagnosis and effective treatment programmes.