Malaria

Malaria Kills
Malaria is one of the leading causes of death and disease worldwide, especially in the developing world

• Malaria is a preventable and treatable infectious disease transmitted by mosquitoes that kills more than one million people each year, most of them in sub-Saharan Africa, where malaria is the leading cause of death for children under five (RBM)

• Half the world’s population is at risk of malaria – some 3.3 billion people in 109 countries (GMAP)

Malaria perpetuates poverty
Malaria is both a root cause and consequence of poverty; it puts a heavy economic burden on endemic countries and contributes to the cycle of poverty

• Because malaria is a global emergency that affects mostly poor women and children, malaria perpetuates a vicious cycle of poverty in the developing world

• Malaria related-illnesses and mortality cost Africa’s economy alone USD $ 12 billion per year, a loss of 1.3% of GDP growth per year and accounts for over 10% of yearly household spending in Africa

Malaria can be eliminated
Today, malaria can be prevented, diagnosed and treated with a combination of available tools and sustained financing

• Global estimates indicate that USD $ 5.3 billion is needed each year to fully fund the fight against malaria

• While the costs of fighting malaria are not low, the benefits are significant and malaria makes a good investment:

  • Malaria control is cost effective

  • R&D investments save long-term control costs

  • Costs can be saved through rapid scale-up and enable reinvestment in other health programmes

  • Lower burden yields positive economic benefits and can reduce poverty

• A comprehensive approach consisting of protective nets, indoor spraying with insecticide, preventive treatment for pregnant women, diagnostic tests, effective drugs, education, research and advocacy is needed to combat malaria