The World Malaria Report 2020 highlights unprecedented global success against malaria in the past two decades. The U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) is proud of the U.S. Government’s leadership and pivotal role in preventing 1.5 billion malaria cases and 7.6 million deaths worldwide.
Through PMI and generous contributions to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the U.S. Government is the leading funder of malaria control and elimination. The report credits PMI and Global Fund financing with enabling widespread deployment of tools that have helped countries to turn the tide on malaria. In partner countries, PMI has distributed almost 300 million mosquito nets, 500 million rapid tests, and 600 million fast-acting malaria medicines to partner countries since the initiative began in 2005. The incredible achievements outlined in the report demonstrate the value of steadfast U.S. assistance in fighting this deadly disease.
These efforts must continue. The report estimates there were 229 million malaria cases and more than 400,000 deaths in 2019. More must be done to expand access to lifesaving interventions, especially in sub-Saharan Africa where more than 90 percent of malaria cases occur. The region is a priority for PMI funding and technical assistance, but the population has grown substantially from 660 million in 2000 to 1.1 billion in 2019. Recent increases in PMI funding and the Global Fund replenishment are important steps in meeting higher demand for malaria-fighting tools. PMI echoes the report’s call for increased funding to accelerate progress, especially from malaria-endemic countries and innovative financing sources involving the private sector.
The report calls attention to the serious threat COVID-19 poses to malaria progress around the world—underscoring the need to continue malaria programs. PMI rapidly adapted its programs and guided a cross-partner global response to safely continue the fight against malaria. Since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, PMI has protected almost 160 million people with mosquito nets, 13 million people with indoor spraying that kills mosquitoes, and 7.5 million children with preventive medicine during peak-malaria seasons. Continuing this work over the coming months will determine how many lives can be saved.
Now more than ever malaria programs must continue to adapt programs and target interventions locally, using data-driven decision-making to maximize effectiveness. PMI praises the report’s focus on more-effective data and surveillance systems. PMI is enabling countries and global partners to better share, integrate, analyze, and act on data. There are powerful lessons the malaria field can draw from experience using COVID-19 data to better target and adapt malaria interventions.
PMI is committed to its partnerships with malaria-endemic countries on the frontlines of this fight and commends their heroic efforts to fight malaria and COVID-19. PMI looks forward to building on the progress of the last two decades to achieve a malaria-free world for all.