By Bunmi Yekini
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday said wider use of new malaria tools, including dual-ingredient mosquito nets and WHO-recommended vaccines, helped to prevent an estimated 170 million cases and 1 million deaths in 2024.
But rising drug resistance, funding shortfalls and climate-driven disruptions threaten to reverse two decades of gains, the agency warned in its latest World Malaria Report.
“New tools for prevention of malaria are giving us new hope, but we still face significant challenges,” WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. “Increasing numbers of cases and deaths, the growing threat of drug resistance and the impact of funding cuts all threaten to roll back the progress we have made… However, none of these challenges is insurmountable.”
According to the report, WHO-recommended tools are increasingly being integrated into routine health systems. Since the world’s first malaria vaccine was approved in 2021, 24 countries have introduced it into their immunisation programmes.
Seasonal malaria chemoprevention also expanded to reach 54 million children in 2024, up from just 200,000 in 2012.
Progress on elimination continued as well. Cabo Verde and Egypt were certified malaria-free in 2024, followed by Georgia, Suriname and Timor-Leste in 2025. In total, 47 countries and one territory have now eliminated the disease.
Still, the global burden remains high. WHO estimated 282 million cases and 610,000 deaths in 2024 , about 9 million more infections than the previous year. About 95% of deaths occurred in Africa, mostly among children under five.
The report warns that antimalarial drug resistance is growing in Africa, with confirmed or suspected cases in at least eight countries. Early signs suggest declining effectiveness of partner drugs used with artemisinin, the backbone of current treatments.
Other threats include:
- Parasites with pfhrp2 gene deletions, which undermine the reliability of rapid diagnostic tests
- Pyrethroid resistance in 48 countries, reducing the impact of insecticide-treated nets
- Spread of Anopheles stephensi, an invasive mosquito now present in nine African countries
- Extreme weather, which has contributed to new outbreaks by altering mosquito habitats
- Conflict and instability, which disrupt health services and delay treatment
Funding remains a critical barrier. Global financing for malaria stagnated at US$3.9 billion in 2024, less than half the US$9.3 billion target set for 2025. Cuts in Official Development Assistance have weakened surveillance and forced postponement of key intervention campaigns.
Dr. Martin Fitchet, CEO of Medicines for Malaria Venture, said the world must accelerate the development of new treatments as resistance spreads.
“The World Malaria Report is clear: drug resistance is advancing,” he said. “Our response must be equally clear, new medicines with new mechanisms of action… Together with a global partnership of expertise, commitment and funding, we can stay ahead of resistance.”
WHO urged malaria-endemic countries to sustain political commitments under the Yaoundé Declaration and strengthen cooperation through the Big Push initiative.
“With leadership, and targeted investment, the vision of a malaria-free world remains achievable,” Dr. Tedros said.