Malaria Overview

There are safe, effective, and affordable tools to prevent and treat malaria.

Between 2000 and 2006, several countries in Africa saw a 50 percent decrease in malaria by using a combined set of effective interventions, including insecticide-treated bed nets and indoor spraying of homes with insecticides to control mosquitoes, and drug treatments to prevent and cure malaria.

However, malaria still kills millions of poor people in developing countries and cripples their economies.

Malaria causes nearly 1 million deaths per year, and 85 percent of those who die are children under 5 years of age. Ninety percent of malaria deaths occur in Africa, where the financial cost of malaria is crippling economic development due to the high cost of medicines and reduced productivity.

The fight against malaria is threatened by growing weaknesses of current tools.

Mosquitoes are becoming resistant to insecticides used in bed nets and sprays, and malaria parasites are becoming resistant to today’s drugs. New methods for controlling mosquitoes and treatments are urgently needed if malaria is to be eradicated.

We aim to improve existing and develop new tools to prevent and treat malaria. Our long-term goal is to eradicate this deadly disease.

Next: Our Approach

Develop malaria vaccines

We believe a preventive vaccine would provide the best long-term hope to defeat malaria, and would be especially beneficial for those at greatest risk: infants, children, and pregnant women. Our goal is to ensure the development and launch of a safe, effective, and affordable vaccine against malaria by 2025.

Develop more effective and affordable drugs and diagnostics

Though current treatments for malaria are highly effective, they are expensive for people in poor countries and malaria parasites are becoming increasingly resistant to them. Our strategy supports the development and delivery of new malaria drugs, particularly for treating acute malaria in at-risk populations, including infants, young children, and pregnant women.

Develop new tools to control mosquitoes

Insecticide-treated bed nets and indoor spraying of insecticides in homes has been a successful approach for controlling mosquitoes. However, mosquitoes are becoming more resistant to today’s insecticides. We’re supporting the development of new active ingredients and products that combat insecticide resistance.

Research the effectiveness of malaria interventions

Better data are needed to tell us what works in malaria control. We’re supporting efforts to evaluate malaria control interventions and study how to best deliver such interventions.

Advocate for policies and financing

The last decade has witnessed major new investments in malaria control efforts around the world. However, continued investments and policies are needed to maintain and expand access to tools for prevention and treatment, and to develop new strategies and interventions to stay ahead of the emerging resistance to drugs and insecticides. We’re working to advocate for increased funding and effective policies for malaria research and control.