Ministers of Health from African countries with the highest burden of malaria committed to urgent action and increased domestic funding to reverse trends in malaria cases and deaths at the Malaria Ministerial Meeting, held in Cameroon on 6 March. Unitaid, along with other key stakeholders and agencies from across the malaria landscape participated in the meeting, which raised the alarm at stalled progress in the malaria response globally.

Although significant advances have been made in the malaria response in recent decades, progress has plateaued due to health system challenges, funding shortfalls, and biological threats, among others. This has been further compounded by other challenges, ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic to natural disasters and humanitarian crises. People living in the African region, where 95% of all cases of malaria occur, are hardest hit.

“The tools that helped us achieve major progress in the past couple decades are delivering dwindling returns due to a number of access barriers – including rapid adaptation of the malaria parasite and the mosquitoes that transmit it,” said Dr Philippe Duneton, Executive Director of Unitaid.

“We will only succeed in outpacing malaria if we accelerate access to innovative and lifesaving tools. Unitaid recognizes its unique role in ensuring promising solutions make it to the frontlines of the malaria response faster. I commend the strong political will demonstrated at the Malaria Ministerial Meeting and pledge our continued support to reduce malaria cases and deaths.”

With over US$130 million currently invested in malaria, Unitaid is working to introduce and optimize malaria prevention tools and improve access to quality case management.

Next-generation bed nets respond to growing insecticide resistance, while spatial repellents that slowly release chemicals to ward off mosquitoes help provide an additional layer of protection for people when they may not be protected by a bed net.

Building off successful efforts to launch seasonal malaria chemoprevention, Unitaid is working to improve delivery strategies for antimalarial medicines to extend protection to all young children and pregnant women, who suffer the most serious risks from infection.

New interventions are being investigated, with the goal of enhancing the vector control toolbox and countering the growing threat of resistance to the best available malaria treatments.

With ongoing efforts to ensure tools reach communities where they are needed, these innovations are driving efforts to reduce illness and death from malaria in the countries that are hardest hit.