Global access to key anti-malarial interventions has improved over the last year, but persistent gaps in coverage mean the burden of disease is still massive — at a time when funding to combat the parasitic disease has flatlined, according to the World Malaria Report.
Released today, the report finds that malaria control has improved for the most vulnerable in Africa, but inadequate funding and fragile health systems stand in the way of reaching global eradication targets. Authors warned against complacency and urged donors to continue prioritizing malaria interventions.
“The sense that the job has been completed and therefore we move on is a dangerous one,” Pedro Alonso, director of the Global Malaria Program at the World Health Organization, which is behind the annual report, in a conference call with reporters on Friday ahead of the launch of the report today. “The hardest is still to come.”
About the author
Catherine Cheneycatherinecheney
Catherine Cheney is the Senior Editor for Special Coverage at Devex. She leads the editorial vision of Devex’s news events and editorial coverage of key moments on the global development calendar. Catherine joined Devex as a reporter, focusing on technology and innovation in making progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. Prior to joining Devex, Catherine earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Yale University, and worked as a web producer for POLITICO, a reporter for World Politics Review, and special projects editor at NationSwell. She has reported domestically and internationally for outlets including The Atlantic and the Washington Post. Catherine also works for the Solutions Journalism Network, a non profit organization that supports journalists and news organizations to report on responses to problems.
