The World Health Organization (WHO) has revealed that malaria claimed the lives of at least 597,000 people globally in 2023, a staggering toll that highlights the ongoing global health challenge.
According to the latest World Malaria Report released by WHO, 263 million cases of malaria were recorded worldwide in the same year.
Despite significant progress in malaria prevention and treatment over the years, the disease continues to pose a serious threat, particularly in the African region.
WHO’s report stated that while an estimated 2.2 billion cases of malaria and 12.7 million deaths have been averted since 2000, malaria remains a major health problem in many parts of the world.
“There were an estimated 263 million cases and 597,000 malaria deaths worldwide in 2023,” the WHO report noted. “This represents about 11 million more cases in 2023 compared to 2022, with nearly the same number of deaths.”
The report highlighted that approximately 95% of the malaria deaths occurred in the WHO African Region, a region where millions of people remain at risk and still lack access to the services they need to prevent, detect, and treat malaria effectively.
WHO’s Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, expressed concern over the disproportionate burden of malaria in the African region.
“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,” Dr. Tedros said. “An expanded package of lifesaving tools now offers better protection against the disease, but stepped-up investments and action in high-burden African countries are needed to curb the threat.”
In spite of the grim figures, there has been progress. As of November 2024, 44 countries and one territory had been certified as malaria-free by the WHO. Many more countries are making steady progress toward eradicating the disease.
Of the 83 malaria-endemic countries, 25 now report fewer than 10 cases of malaria each year, an improvement from just 4 countries in 2000.
The WHO report also showed that the malaria mortality rate in the African region has dropped by 16% since 2015, signaling some progress in the fight against the disease.
However, the estimated 2023 mortality rate of 52.4 deaths per 100,000 population at risk is still more than double the target of 23 deaths per 100,000 population set by the Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030.
The global health body stressed that more must be done to accelerate progress, especially in high-burden countries.
In a move to address the disease, health ministers from 11 African countries — including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda — signed a declaration earlier this year.
The declaration pledges to reduce the malaria burden in their countries through sustainable and equitable actions, including strengthening national health systems, improving coordination, and making better use of data to target malaria interventions.
Despite these efforts, WHO cautioned that much more investment is needed to tackle malaria, especially in regions like sub-Saharan Africa, where the disease continues to have devastating consequences.
WHO’s annual report provides a stark reminder of the challenges still facing the global fight against malaria. The numbers are sobering, but they also serve as a call to action for governments, healthcare providers, and the international community to do more.
One of the key factors in reducing malaria deaths has been the availability of new and improved tools, such as insecticide-treated bed nets, rapid diagnostic tests, and antimalarial medicines.
However, WHO officials stress that increased access to these tools, particularly in rural and underserved areas, is crucial for making further progress.
“The tools we have today offer better protection, but we must ensure they reach the people who need them the most,” Dr. Tedros added. “We must act faster and more effectively to stop this preventable disease.”
While the numbers are alarming, the situation is not without hope. With continued investment and global cooperation, malaria could be eradicated within a generation.
The battle against malaria is far from over, but the progress made so far offers a glimmer of hope.
