From high burden to high impact: getting back on track to end malaria

25 September 2018

A high-level roundtable

After an unprecedented period of success in global malaria control, progress has stalled. According to WHO’s latest World malaria report, there were an estimated 216 million cases of malaria in 2016, an increase of 5 million cases over the previous year. Deaths stood at approximately 445 000, a similar number to the previous year.

Ten countries in sub-Saharan Africa (Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Uganda and United Republic of Tanzania) and India account for approximately 70% of global malaria cases and deaths. Strengthened political commitment, financing and programmatic action are urgently needed to get malaria responses back on track, especially in countries that carry the heaviest burden of disease.

This week, leaders from some of the countries hardest hit by malaria gathered on the sidelines of the 73rd United Nations General Assembly to share their views on challenges and opportunities in the fight against malaria. They were joined by senior government officials from Thailand and the Solomon Islands, as well as by heads of partner and donor agencies.

This photo slideshow includes quotes from all key speakers. It was developed by WHO in collaboration with the United Nations Foundation and the RBM Partnership to End Malaria.

Co-sponsors of the high-level roundtable

Country co-sponsors
  • Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
  • Kingdom of Eswatini
  • Kingdom of Thailand
  • Republic of Ghana
  • Republic of India
  • Republic of Mozambique
  • Solomon Islands
Partners and donors
  • African Leaders Malaria Alliance
  • African Union Commission
  • Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance
  • RBM Partnership to End Malaria
  • United Nations Foundation

The event was moderated by James Chau.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO

“Last year’s World malaria report  was a wake-up call. We sounded the alarm and warned the world that we neglect malaria at our peril. Many leaders have heeded that warning and we are seeing a reinvigorated effort in the fight to end malaria.”

Dr Matshidiso Moeti, Regional Director, WHO Regional Office for Africa

“No one should die from a disease that is easily diagnosed and treated – and that is the case with malaria. We must mobilize additional resources and target those resources for interventions that we know work.” 

HRH King Mswati III, Kingdom of Eswatini

“Our commitment to malaria elimination is unwavering. In the last decade, the African continent has witnessed enormous gains in the fight against malaria. However, these gains are fragile as we experience a resurgence of malaria in places that had previously reduced transmission.”

H.E. Rick Houenipwela, Prime Minister, Solomon Islands

“In eliminating malaria, we will save millions of dollars in healthcare costs that can be redirected to address other important priorities of the government, including in health, to benefit the country’s young population. Investment to eliminate malaria has the potential to transform our economic development aspirations.”

Mrs Amira Elfadil, Commissioner for Social Affairs, African Union

“We know the challenges, and we are working on overcoming them with our partners. We will have zero malaria in Africa in a very short time – I am very optimistic on this issue. I know that malaria is a disease we can fight if we join hands.” 

H.E. Dr Amir Aman, Federal Minister of Health, Ethiopia

“For the last 15 years, we managed to decrease the total number of malaria cases from 20 million per year to 1.7 million per year. There are three major success factors for Ethiopia’s achievement: political commitment, health system strengthening and international support.”

Dr Nazira Karimo Vali Abdula, Minister of Health, Mozambique

“On 28 June 2018, the President of the Republic of Mozambique led the first national malaria forum where clear problems were identified, solutions to reduce the malaria burden were proposed, and the importance of social and multisectoral responsibility were highlighted.” 

Hon. Kwaku Agyemanu-Manu, Minister of Health, Ghana

“Ghana has taken the initiative to do what we call ‘community health planning services’ – so that we are taking health facilities closer to people in hard-to-reach and rural areas. Trained health workers are providing health education in households of individuals.” 

Mr Vikas Sheel, Joint Secretary, Department of Health & Family Welfare, India

“Key interventions in India include early detection (of malaria) through the use of rapid diagnostic kits – especially through community health volunteers. We have a huge network of women volunteers, called ASHAs, who are providing the front-line diagnostic and treatment services for malaria in the community. We have also scaled up vector control measures, especially the use of long lasting insecticidal nets.” 

H.E. Mr Vitavas Srivihok, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Thailand to the UN

“My country has seen a remarkable reduction in the malaria burden over the last decade. Our government is committed to keeping us on track to eliminate malaria by 2030, as envisioned in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and SDG Goal 3.3 in particular.” 

Dr Kesete Admasu, CEO of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria

"The fight against malaria needs renewed vigor as 'business as usual' will not get us back on track to end malaria. We need better data, closer coordination on the ground among various partners, and new and improved tools that will help us counter emerging resistance and other threats." 

Dr Pedro Alonso, Director, WHO Global Malaria Programme

“We need extra resources. We can go a long way with what we have now, but we won’t reach our global targets. We also need new, transformative tools for transmission reduction, improved diagnosis and improved case management. We are dealing with a very hard enemy.” 

Ms Joy Phumaphi, Executive Secretary, African Leaders Malaria Alliance

“I feel the strongest turning point for us, which will strengthen our work in terms of accountability, is focusing on communities – putting people at the center of the fight against malaria. Zero Malaria Starts With Me is not just a campaign – it’s about ownership of the malaria agenda. We see an important opportunity here for accountability.”

Dr Ken Staley, Global Malaria Coordinator, U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative

“The currency for all of us – the language we all speak in common, the one that allows us to talk about how we’re doing and how we’re coordinating – is data. The way in which we need to build and create the data environment that we all want is transparency.”  

Mr Lelio Marmora, Executive Director, Unitaid

“Innovation will play a decisive role in ending malaria. Unitaid is committed to bringing to market innovative solutions to prevent, treat and diagnose malaria more quickly, more cheaply and more effectively.”

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