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There is much to celebrate. The hard work by CDC and its global partners has rendered demonstrable achievements that are edging us ever closer to “Ending Malaria for Good”—the World Health Organization’s theme for World Malaria Day this year. In the last 15 years, for example, the overall rate of death from malaria has declined by 62% globally. For children five years old and younger in Africa, the results are even more impressive, with a death rate cut by 69 percent over the same period. Guided by science-driven innovations and through the hard work of partners and programs like the Global Fund, President’s Malaria Initiative, and Roll Back Malaria partners, the world has saved6.8 million lives.
This is no time, however, to relax efforts. Malaria caused 212 million illnesses and 429,000 deaths in 2015—the equivalent of one child dying from malaria every two minutes. Malaria remains persistent and all too deadly, despite the gains. Approximately 3.2 billion people (half the world’s population) in 96 countries/territories remain at high risk of contracting malaria. Moreover, the disease continues to be a threat to U.S. travelers, military, and U.S. citizens living abroad, with more than 1,500 imported cases diagnosed each year in the U.S.
In addition to the human suffering that malaria causes, it also carries a financial burden, estimated to be at least US$12 billion per year. Malaria treatment is expensive: according to a recent study of hospital discharge data, the average cost of a hospital stay in the U.S. as a result of malaria infection totals more than $25,000 per patient, likely much higher for patients with resultant permanent disabilities.
The nature of the battle itself is changing as well. In many countries, controlling malaria is threatened by rapid development and urbanization, and the distressing increase of resistance to frontline antimalarial drugs like artemisinin—the core compound of the best available antimalarial medicines.
Since 2010, 60 of the 73 countries that monitor insecticide resistance have reported that mosquitos are immune to at least one insecticide class used to treat bed nets and used for indoor spraying. Even worse, of those 60 countries, 50 have reported that mosquitoes are resistant to two or more insecticide classes.
We at CDC are working to confront these challenges and accelerate progress towards ending malaria. Along with our U.S. and global partners, CDC experts focus on:
To learn more about this life life-saving work, please find additional resources (e.g., fact sheets, infographics, and social media cards) that highlight the ways CDC is working to diagnose, treat, and prevent malaria worldwide.
Sincerely,
/Rebecca Martin/
Rebecca Martin, PhD
Director, Center for Global Health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention www.cdc.gov/global
/Monica Parise/
Monica Parise, MD, MPH
Director, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria Center for Global Health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention www.cdc.gov/parasites |
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