This World Malaria Day, PSI joins USAID’s U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) to highlight efforts to end the disease because we are #ReadyToBeatMalaria.
Progress in combating malaria over the past decade represents one of the greatest success stories in the history of public health. PMI, together with national malaria programs, and in partnership with communities, have helped save nearly 7 million lives, and a vast majority of them have been young African children.
However, the World Malaria Report indicates that progress has stalled. In 2016, there were 216 million cases of malaria in 91 countries, 5 million more than the 211 million cases reported in 2015. This marks a return to 2012 levels. The backsliding of progress in malaria has prompted a redoubling of efforts to fight the disease. The burden of malaria is greatest in the least developed areas and among the poorest members of society, further perpetuating global poverty. Many of those most vulnerable to the effects of malaria – especially young children and pregnant women – are not able to access life-saving prevention, diagnosis and treatment. PMI’s continuing efforts aim to close the gap so that malaria no longer impacts the most vulnerable.
Take a moment to read PMI’s 12th Annual Report to Congress presented here to learn of interventions responsible for the impact that has occurred in many countries. For more on PMI’s #ReadytoBeatMalaria initiative, click here.
Cross-posted with permission from U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI).
