The Challenge
The fight against malaria is one of humanity’s most significant public health successes. Great progress was made in malaria control over the last two decades, resulting in a reduction in overall cases and deaths. But that progress stalled around 2018, and the COVID-19 pandemic has knocked us further off track.
Funding has plateaued, drug and insecticide resistance are increasing, and climate change threatens to push malaria transmission to new regions. Disruptions to malaria services caused by COVID-19 led to an increase in malaria deaths and cases. In 2020 there were an estimated 241 million malaria cases and 627,000 malaria deaths worldwide; compared to 2019, there were about 14 million more cases and 69,000 more deaths.
More than ever before, the Global Fund needs to support countries in their efforts to revitalize and sustain the fight against malaria. We must strive to provide better and more equitable access to all health services, vastly increase funding for malaria programs, invest in new approaches and innovations and improve use of existing tools.
This year, with the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment conference, the world has an opportunity to invest more to protect our hard-won gains and get back on track in our fight against malaria. If we do not increase investment in fighting malaria, we must accept that we are effectively abandoning the 2030 goal to end the disease as a public health threat.
Trends in malaria cases
In countries where the Global Fund invests
Malaria by the Numbers:
Funding
- The Global Fund provides 56% of all international financing for malaria programs.
- We have invested more than US$16 billion in malaria control programs as of April 2022.
- Since January 2021, we have increased malaria grants by 23% on average.
Prevention
- 188 million insecticide-treated nets distributed to protect families from malaria in 2020.
- 9.4 million structures covered by indoor residual spraying in 2020.
- 30 million children covered by seasonal malaria chemoprevention in 2020.
- 11.5 million pregnant women received preventive therapy in 2020.
Testing and Treatment
- 259 million suspected cases tested for malaria in 2020.
- 135 million cases of malaria treated in 2020.