PURPOSE: Reaching the zero malaria target. This year, WHO and partners will mark World Malaria Day on 25 April, by celebrating the achievements of countries that are approaching – and achieving – malaria elimination. They provide inspiration for all nations that are working to stamp out this deadly disease and improve the health and livelihoods of their populations. The World Health Organization make a new report highlighting successes and lessons learned among the “E-2020” group of malaria-eliminating countries. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of these countries reported zero indigenous malaria cases in 2020, while others made impressive progress in their journey to becoming malaria-free.
FORUM: “Accelerating the fight against malaria for a more equitable world.” World Malaria Day 2024. The WHO joins the RBM Partnership to End Malaria and other partners in highlighting barriers to health equity, gender equality and human rights in malaria responses worldwide – as well as concrete measures to overcome them. In recent years, progress in reducing malaria has ground to a standstill. Not only does malaria continue to directly endanger health and cost lives, but it also perpetuates a vicious cycle of inequity. People living in the most vulnerable situations including pregnant women, infants, children under 5 years of age, refugees, migrants, internally displaced people, and Indigenous Peoples continue to be disproportionately impacted. The WHO African Region shoulders the heaviest burden of the disease – accounting, in 2022, for 94% and 95% of malaria case and deaths. Rural populations in the African region living in situations of poverty and with less access to education are the most impacted. In view of the current trajectory, critical 2025 milestones of the WHO global malaria strategy for reductions in malaria cases and deaths will be missed. Why are pregnant women, young children and other groups in vulnerable situations not accessing the malaria services they need? Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #WorldMalariaDay, #Malaria, #25April.
EVENTS: On March 25th, the World Malaria Day 2024 will be held at WHO HQ and Regional offices, During the observance the panelists, stakeholders and participant will held round-table discussions and will share experiences and reflections on the following topics: 1-Accelerate the fight against malaria for a more equitable world through: Ending discrimination and stigma; 2-Engaging communities in health decision-making; "3-Bringing health care close to where people live and work through primary health care; '4- Addressing factors that increase malaria risk; 5 - Including malaria control interventions in universal health coverage; 6- Efforts to reach the target of zero malaria.
SYMPOSIUM: IN-PERSON SYMPOSIUM | Thursday, April 25, 2024. The Malaria Research Institute will host the World Malaria Day Symposium, "OMICS: Malaria on the Move" at the Bloomberg School in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Join usfor this full-day, in-person, complimentary symposium. The Symposium is held yearly by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute (jhmalariarsch) in Baltimore. The latest research is presented. It is one of the largest events of its kind in the western hemisphere. Registration is now closed. Read the SYMPOSIUM PROGRAM.
PODCASTS: What new approaches are countries using to reach people at risk of malaria with the services they need? The WHO spoke with representatives from National Malaria Programmes about innovations in the delivery of malaria prevention, diagnostics and more. Listen to the audio-podcasts!
Campaign Materials: ”Achieving the vision of a malaria-free world”. The campaign provides advocacy tools, messages, graphics and lessons learned to help you advocate to end malaria in your community. Get the campaign materials!
WHY WE CELEBRATE THE DAY?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were an estimated 241 million cases of malaria worldwide, with 627,000 deaths in 2020 alone. Most of these deaths occurred on the African continent. Despite being preventable and treatable, malaria kills approximately 260,000 African children under the age of five every year. A highly waterborne disease, an increase in natural disasters such as floods from heavy rains will dramatically increase malaria rates. Through our HOPE Project, HPIC has been addressing malaria in rural communities of Northern Ghana since 2017. By training and equipping community health volunteers (CHVs) to conduct regular home visits to diagnose and treat malaria, as well as to conduct community education sessions (referred to locally as ‘durbars’), the HOPE Project aims to reduce malaria-related child deaths. In many rural communities, CHVs provide the only healthcare community members ever receive. In providing mobile healthcare, HPIC is reducing the burden of malaria in remote and underserved communities.
ACTIONS
The WHO is raising awareness about the critical role of innovation in the fight against malaria – including innovations in new tools and innovations in the way that currently available tools are delivered. WHO is recommending the broad use of RTS,S vaccine, the world’s first malaria vaccine. If implemented broadly, the vaccine could save tens of thousands of lives each year. Read more on the Global technical strategy for malaria 2016-2030, 2021 update. Today; 25 African countries now leading the Zero Malaria Starts with Me movement.
Join the ZERO Malaria campaign to eliminate Malaria.
Introduce the Lifesaving RTS,S Malaria Vaccine.
Mobilize communities to help prevent and control malaria.
Provide long-lasting insecticidal nets to achieve blanket coverage in a number of villages
Raise money to buy and distribute bednets.
Tackle malaria in remote mining communities.
Harness innovation to fight an ancient killer.
PARTNERS
The World Malaria Day is co-organized by the World Health Organization (WHO); The WHO/PAHO, the WHO Regional Office for Africa; The RBM Partnership, The Global Fund; The Global Alliance Malaria No More. With the participation of the Africa Childrens Development Trust (ACDT); The African Rural Schools Foundation; The All For Children Inc.; The Amazon Promise; The African Medical and Research Foundation's (AMREF); The BioVision; The Concern Universal; The Drive Against Malaria; The Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD); The Global Minimum (Gmin); The Association of Youths Against Malaria; The Health in Harmony; The His Nets; The Holy Innocents; The IMA World Health/DFID; The Individs; The International Midwife Assistance (IMA); The Kalene Mission Hospital; The Kids Aid Tanzania/Lions Club llemela; The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM); The Malaria Consortium and several other Non-Governmental Organizations, Medical researchers and academics.