Published: 9 December 2022

Global report provides insights into how Africa continues to shoulder the biggest malaria burden

The African Leaders Malaria Alliance while recognizing the progress that Africa has made since the 2000 Abuja Declaration remains concerned that progress against malaria remains stalled and that most African Union Member States remain off-track to meet the African Union’s goal of eliminating malaria by 2030.

Africa continues to bear the highest malaria burden. According to the WHO’s World Malaria Report 2022, 96% of all malaria cases (238 million cases) and 98% of all malaria deaths (603,877 deaths) occurred in Africa in 2021. Nearly 77% of malaria deaths were among children under the age of 5.

This burden undermines continental efforts to strengthen and build resilient health systems and impacts on Africa’s 50 year socio-economic and structural transformation blueprint, Agenda 2063.

The US$15.7 billion replenishment of The Global Fund, whilst welcome, fell short of the US$ 18 billion ask. The lower replenishment will impact the ability of countries to sustain access to essential malaria services (especially with increased procurement and delivery costs) and to get ahead of growing threats of insecticide, drug, and diagnostic resistance). We must mobilise additional resources including through the establishment of multisectoral End Malaria Councils and Funds.

Since 2000, malaria incidence and mortality have declined by 37% and 59%, respectively. As a result, 1.5 billion malaria cases and 10.6 million malaria deaths have been averted over the past two decades alone in Africa. Additionally, countries have sustained coverage of essential malaria interventions despite the serious disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This demonstrates that with sustained political commitment, global solidarity and shared responsibility, we can get back on track and end this disease once and for all.