A new World Health Organization report revealed that the fight against malaria is in danger as cases of the disease rose by around 5 million year-on-year in 2022, exceeding global containment targets. The report also noted that pandemic-related disruptions and extreme weather events linked to climate change have hindered progress in recent years. The WHO’s annual World Malaria Report highlighted the stalling progress since 2015 due to rising drug and insecticide resistance and conflict. Executive director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Peter Sands, emphasized the risk of losing the fight against the disease, stating that progress has ground to a halt and in some places is reversing.
In 2022, there were an estimated 249 million cases of malaria, with a global malaria case incidence of 58.4 cases per 1,000 people at risk, far exceeding the WHO’s target of 26.2 cases by 2025. The report also highlighted a 55% off-track progress towards the 2025 milestone, and warned that it will be missed by 89% this year if the current trajectory persists.
Furthermore, the report showed a surge in malaria cases in areas with extreme weather, such as a five-fold increase in malaria cases in Pakistan due to floods. Malaria deaths, which declined steadily between 2000 and 2019, rose during the pandemic, with an estimated 608,000 people dying of the disease last year, mainly young children.
While the development of two new malaria vaccines provides hope, the report also highlighted a significant funding gap in the response. The global effort to tackle malaria received $4.1 billion in investment in 2022, but approximately $7.8 billion is needed.