Malaria Progress Stalled by Drug Resistance and Funding Shortfalls
Recent data from the World Health Organization (WHO) reveals that while notable strides have been made in the global fight against malaria as 2000 – saving an estimated 14 million lives over the past quarter-century and achieving malaria-free status in 47 countries – the disease remains a major public health threat, particularly in Africa.
In 2024 alone,there were over 280 million malaria cases and more than 600,000 deaths worldwide. A staggering 95% of these cases were concentrated in the Africa region,with the majority occurring in just 11 countries.
A critical obstacle to further progress is the growing issue of antimalarial drug resistance. The latest WHO report highlights that eight countries have reported confirmed or suspected resistance to antimalarial drugs, including artemisinin, a WHO-recommended treatment. The report urges countries to diversify treatment strategies, avoiding over-reliance on single drugs, and to strengthen surveillance and regulatory health systems.
Compounding the problem of drug resistance is a significant lack of funding.In 2024, $3.9 billion was invested in malaria response efforts, falling short of the WHO’s target. Overseas Advancement Aid (ODA) from wealthy nations has decreased by approximately 21%. Authors of the report warn that insufficient investment risks a large-scale resurgence of the disease.
Dr. Martin Fitchet, CEO of Medicines for Malaria Venture, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to developing new antimalarial drugs, emphasized the urgency of the situation. “Malaria is still a preventable and treatable disease, but that may not last forever,” he stated at a WHO press briefing. He called for increased coordination of surveillance efforts and bold investment in the development of next-generation medicines to stay ahead of the evolving parasite.
Dr.Fitchet drew parallels to the crisis of the 1980s and 1990s, when resistance to chloroquine led to a humanitarian disaster and millions of deaths, primarily among children. He warned, “Today we can see from this report that the red lights are flashing again with an increasing number of resistant mutations emerging in the African continent. we need to ensure that we prolong the resilience and the effectiveness of the medicines we have now.”
he stressed that long-term success in eliminating malaria depends on developing new antimalarial medicines and that a collaborative approach is essential. “The complexity and scale of the challenge we face means that no single tool or actor can succeed alone,” he concluded, advocating for partnerships encompassing industry, global health agencies, academia, physicians, investigators, civil society, communities, and funders.
