“Zero Malaria Starts with Me”
Since 2000, joined global efforts have saved 7 million lives from malaria and prevented more than 1 billion cases, so there is reason indeed to celebrate today the achievements that have been made in our fight against malaria.
In 2017, 46 countries are closer to the elimination of malaria, more countries than ever before! Last year Paraguay and Uzbekistan were certified malaria-free. Also, China and El Salvador are close to elimination, with zero cases of malaria recorded for the first time in 2017, with several more countries worldwide on track to get to zero malaria by 2020.
However, the World Malaria Day also reminds us that after nearly two decades of unparalleled progress in reducing the global malaria burden, in the last two years we had to witness an increase in malaria cases in high burden countries. In the ten highest burden African countries alone, there were 3.5 million more cases in 2017 over the previous year, and there were an estimated 435,000 deaths from malaria globally, according to the World Health Organization.
On occasion of the World Malaria Day 2019, EVI therefore calls again on policy makers and funders to step up the fight against malaria. The past has taught us that continuous investments in innovation, including vaccines, diagnostics, drugs and other technologies, are needed for ending malaria. With renewed focus and stronger commitment, we will be able to end malaria, one of the oldest and deadliest diseases in human history.
EVI fully supports the global theme for this year’s World Malaria Day promoted by the Roll Back Malaria Partnership and their partners: “Zero Malaria Starts with Me”. It reminds people across the world that they have the power and personal responsibility to take actions in the fight against this deadly disease. The world needs to step up the fight!
We invite you to watch the World Malaria Day teaser video posted by the Roll Back Malaria Partnership.