The fight against malaria is one of humanity’s biggest public health successes, but the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted progress and is threatening to derail hard-won gains.

But there is hope. The certification of El Salvador as malaria-free in February 2021 shows that the target of eliminating malaria is within reach – but we must work even harder to regain lost progress and adapt to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. We must #UniteToFight both diseases.

#UniteToFight #WorldMalariaDay

#ZeroMalaria #EndMalaria

State of the Fight: Malaria Key Results

Key results from our 2020 Results Report in countries where the Global Fund invests:

• 160 million mosquito nets distributed to protect families from malaria in 2019. Coverage of population with access to a long-lasting insecticide-treated net increased from 34% in 2010 to 58% in 2018.
• Coverage of population using a mosquito net increased from 30% in 2010 to 51% in 2018. Global target: Universal access to vector control for populations at risk.
• 11 million pregnant women received preventive therapy in 2019.
• 8 million structures covered by indoor residual spraying in 2019.

Key Messages: Unite To Fight Against Malaria

The fight against malaria is one of humanity’s biggest public health successes, but the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted progress and is threatening to derail hard-won gains.

The certification of El Salvador as malaria-free in February 2021 shows that the target of eliminating malaria is within reach – but we need to work harder to regain lost progress and adapt to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

We have seen a significant reduction in malaria testing and treatment as a knock-on effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, threatening years of progress and risking a surge in malaria deaths. New data from spot-checks in 502 health facilities in 32 countries in Asia and Africa show that from April-September 2020, malaria diagnoses fell 31% in comparison to the same period in 2019, and malaria treatment fell 13%. In the 24 African countries surveyed, over 20% of health facilities didn’t have enough antimalarial medicine for children due to COVID-19 disruptions.

But there is hope. Successful program adaptations like delivering mosquito nets door to door are working and need to be scaled up. For example, by distributing mosquito nets and medication door to door in 2020, more than 160 million mosquito nets were distributed, and 30 million children received seasonal malaria chemoprevention – a preventative treatment provided to children under 5.

In tropical countries, a fever could be COVID-19 – or it could be malaria. To ensure patients receive the right treatment, the Global Fund is scaling up COVID-19 testing, ensuring steady supply of malaria tests and treatment, and providing PPE to front-line health workers so they can safely and properly diagnose and treat patients.

In 2021, we must urgently fast-track the purchase of more PPE for malaria program workers and support adaptive measures to successfully implement the more than 50 planned campaigns of mosquito net distributions, indoor residual spraying, and seasonal malaria chemoprevention.

Multimedia Resources

El Salvador Triumphs Over Malaria

In February 2021, El Salvador became the first country in Central America to be certified malaria-free. This extraordinary achievement follows more than 50 years of commitment, hard work and community involvement. Read more.

Tweet: On #WorldMalariaDay, we’re celebrating the success of El Salvador. This year #ElSalvador became the first country in Central America to be awarded a certification of malaria elimination by @WHO. #EndMalaria #ZeroMalaria @pahowho http://bitly.ws/cSuu

Guardians of a Continent

Every time Evaline Owuor says goodbye to her children and goes to work, she takes a calculated risk. As a community health worker in Kenya’s Homa Bay County, she has helped her community dramatically reduce the number of people who die from malaria. And when COVID-19 arrived, she enlisted to fight the new enemy. Read more.

Tweet: As a community health worker in Kenya’s Homa Bay County, Evaline has helped her community dramatically reduce the number of people who die from malaria. And when #COVID19 arrived, she enlisted to fight the new enemy. #UniteToFight #WorldMalariaDay https://t.co/4PRNUBLrjh

Unite to Fight Against Malaria

Malaria is among the world’s deadliest diseases and COVID-19 is threatening to derail hard-won gains. Progress in the fight against malaria can be wiped out during a single transmission season, and failure to maintain effective control can result in resurgence. We must unite to fight both diseases.

Tweet: Malaria is among the world’s deadliest diseases, but we have the tools and knowledge to beat it. Despite the challenges of #COVID19, we must commit to working even harder to #EndMalaria. #WorldMalariaDay

Tweet: In 2020, in spot checks across 7 Asian countries, #malaria treatment services plummeted by nearly 60% due to #COVID19 disruptions. We’ve made incredible progress against #malaria & we can’t let #COVID19 destroy hard-fought gains. #WorldMalariaDay

Tweet: In 2020, in spot checks across 24 African countries, over 20% of health facilities didn’t have enough antimalarial medicine for children due to #COVID19 disruptions. Unacceptable! We must #UniteToFight to ensure every child is protected from #malaria. #WorldMalariaDay

Social Media Messages

COVID-19 is threatening the world’s progress against #malaria. Reductions in malaria testing & treatment as a knock-on effect of COVID-19 are threatening years of progress & risking a surge in malaria deaths. We can’t let that happen. We must #UniteToFight. #WorldMalariaDay

To end COVID-19 and malaria, we must fight them at the same time. We must work even harder to regain lost progress and adapt to the disruption caused by the #COVID19 pandemic. #UniteToFight #WorldMalariaDay

COVID-19 is threatening progress against malaria, but there is hope. Adaptations, such as door-to-door distribution, are bringing mosquito nets & medicine to vulnerable communities. To beat #COVID19 & malaria, we must fight them at the same time. #WorldMalariaDay #UniteToFight

Data Explorer

Explore data on investments and results in the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria around the world.

The Global Fund invests in smart, effective health programs to end AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as epidemics. The Data Explorer visualizes where our investments come from, where they are and what they achieve by providing pledge and contribution data, grant financial data, and results data at global, regional and country levels.

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Photo Credits: Vincent Becker, John Rae, Andrew Esiebo, Karin Schermbrucker, Joubert Loots