Malaria control and elimination | News | Global response to malaria at crossroads: WHO report shows gains are levelling

Global response to malaria at crossroads: WHO report shows gains are levelling

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Cover of the World Malaria Report 2017World malaria report 201728 November 2017 | Geneva - After unprecedented global success in malaria control, progress has stalled, according to the World malaria report 2017. There were an estimated 5 million more malaria cases in 2016 than in 2015. Malaria deaths stood at around 445 000, a similar number to the previous year.

“In recent years, we have made major gains in the fight against malaria,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. “We are now at a turning point. Without urgent action, we risk going backwards, and missing the global malaria targets for 2020 and beyond.”

The WHO Global Technical Strategy for Malaria calls for reductions of at least 40% in malaria case incidence and mortality rates by the year 2020. According to WHO’s latest malaria report, the world is not on track to reach these critical milestones.

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Information resources

Malaria threats map

Statistics and figures

In the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region:

291 million people at risk for malaria in 2015 111 million at high risk

Estimated malaria case incidence decreased by 11% between 2010  and 2015

Estimated malaria mortality rate reduced by 6% between 2010 and 2015