December 15th, 2010
Malaria Cases and Deaths Decline Significantly
Malaria No More: Without Sustained Funding, Gains Will Be Lost .
Washington, D.C.-Today the World Health Organization confirmed continued progress in the fight against malaria, reporting that cases of malaria declined by 18 million and deaths caused by malaria declined by 82,000 worldwide. In 2009, there were 243 million cases of malaria, and malaria caused 781,000 deaths, according to the 2010 World Malaria Report.
Ambassador Mark Green, Managing Director of the Malaria Policy Center, welcomed the news. "In just one year, deaths caused by malaria dropped by almost 10%. That is real, tangible progress showing that malaria programs save thousands of lives."The progress from 2008 to 2009 builds on the momentum in the fight against malaria in recent years, during which 11 countries reduced malaria cases and deaths by more than 50%. In these countries, the reductions are associated with proven malaria control interventions, such as insecticide-treated mosquito nets.
But Green cautioned that now is not the time for governments to scale back their support for bilateral malaria programs and the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. "Ending malaria deaths once and for all is within our reach over the next few years. But to get there, progress must be accelerated. Without sustained funding, all of the gains we have achieved could be lost. The news today brings much hope, but there is still much work left to be done. It is a tragedy that three-quarters of a million people die from a disease that is entirely preventable and treatable. This is a crisis that we know how to solve, but we must have the will."
About the Malaria Policy Center
The Malaria Policy Center is a project of Malaria No More, works to raise awareness and galvanize support to address the global fight against malaria. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Center works with the global health community to engage policy leaders in the United States and in the other donor nations to advance efforts to defeat malaria worldwide.