For most people in Africa, World Malaria Day on 25 April is a day to remind the world of the impact that this killer disease has on this continent. The aim of the day is to boost awareness and curb the spread of the mosquito-borne infectious disease, which causes fever, headaches and, in severe cases, can lead to coma or death.
On World Malaria Day 2015, the World Health Organization is calling for high-level commitment to the vision of a world free of malaria. The vision is to reduce malaria cases and deaths by 90% by 2030 from current levels. Four countries have been certified free of malaria in the last decade and the post-2015 strategy sets the goal of eliminating the disease from a further 35 countries by 2030.
Key facts
- In 2013, there were 198-million cases, and 584 000 deaths from malaria
- 3.2-billion (half of the world population) are at risk
- In 2014, 97 countries had on-going malaria transmission
- The global malaria mortality rate was reduced by 47% in 2000 - 13, and an estimated 4.2-million lives were saved as a result of a scale-up of malaria interventions
- US$5.1-billion is needed every year, double the funding available
- Malaria costs US$12-billion per year in direct losses
- Economic cost - lost 1.3% of GDP per year for Africa.
Get more information about the fight against malaria go to http://www.who.int/malaria/en/.