ISTANBUL / ANKARA 

Malaria killed nearly 600,000 people in 2023, with Africa accounting for the vast majority of cases and deaths, according to the World Health Organization's (WHO) 2024 World Malaria Report.

Published last December, the report estimated there were 263 million malaria cases globally in 2023, resulting in 597,000 deaths.

To mark World Malaria Day on April 25, Anadolu has compiled the latest findings from the WHO.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of people die from malaria, a mosquito-borne disease that remains a major global health challenge.

Malaria, caused by a parasite transmitted through bites by the female Anopheles mosquito, is described by WHO as a preventable and treatable disease.

Symptoms include fever, chills, headaches, fatigue, yellowing of the eyes and skin, seizures, and difficulty breathing.

Children under the age of five remain the most vulnerable group, accounting for 76% of all malaria-related deaths globally.   

Africa bears highest burden

Africa remains the hardest-hit region, accounting for approximately 94% of global malaria cases and 95% of deaths in 2023. The continent reported 246 million infections last year.

More than half of all global cases occurred in just five African countries, including Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Mozambique.

An estimated 12.4 million pregnant women in 33 high-risk African countries contracted malaria in 2023. Targeted interventions are credited with preventing around 551,000 cases of low birth weight.   

Progress and persistent challenges

In the Americas, about 77 % of malaria cases were recorded in Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, and Bolivia. However, Argentina, Belize, El Salvador, and Paraguay have been certified malaria-free thanks to sustained low or zero transmission.

In the Eastern Mediterranean, 35.2 % of cases occurred in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Due to data gaps in Sudan, Yemen, and Somalia, accurate reporting is limited. Still, apart from Djibouti, Pakistan, Sudan, and Yemen, no malaria deaths were reported in the region in 2023.

Europe has remained malaria-free since 2015.

Southeast Asia accounted for 1.5 % of global cases, with India alone responsible for half of the region’s infections.  

Prevention, treatment, and vaccine advances

To reduce transmission in high-risk areas, WHO recommends the use of insecticide-treated bed nets, timely access to diagnostic testing, and the administration of malaria vaccines.

Since 2019, WHO, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, and Unitaid have supported vaccine rollout initiatives in endemic countries.

In October 2023, WHO approved a second malaria vaccine, R21/Matrix-M, to complement the ongoing use of RTS,S and help increase supply for at-risk children.

Since 2000, global malaria prevention efforts have averted an estimated 2.2 billion cases. However, WHO estimates that reaching the 2025 targets will require $9.3 billion in research funding.

A new concern emerged in 2023, as mutant malaria parasites that evade standard diagnostic tests were detected in 41 countries, including Burkina Faso and Indonesia.

In Türkiye, local malaria transmission has been eliminated since 2010, with only imported cases reported.

In 2022, the WHO recorded 249 million malaria cases and 608,000 deaths worldwide.