According to the latest World Malaria Report, released by the World Health Organization (WHO) this week, Vitality Health International highlights the current state of malaria and the need to address disparities in prevention as well as healthcare access for malaria medication and treatment.

Malaria remains Africa’s biggest health issue despite progress towards eliminating the deadly disease

“As a health insurer committed to enhancing the health and wellbeing of people in Africa, we closely follow and examine data around malaria,” says Emma Knox, CEO of Vitality Health International: Africa. “We were encouraged to see that the latest World Malaria Report shows progress in the global fight to eliminate malaria.”

The WHO data found that in 2023 an estimated 2.2 million cases of malaria and 1.27 million deaths were averted worldwide. According to the report, southern Africa has also seen progress over the past two decades, with eSwatini reducing cases to below 600 and deaths to seven in 2023. Malaria cases in South Africa dropped from more than 18,000 in 2000 to 5,291 in 2023, while deaths dropped from 26,000 to 64 in the same period.

“Even though we’ve seen some promising developments here, malaria still poses a significant risk, with cases rising in many countries fuelled by extreme weather, insecticide resistance and poverty. Based on findings from credible research sources, we can confirm that malaria is the biggest health issue facing Africa,” says Knox.

Africa continues to carry a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden. Statistics from the 2024 World Malaria Report revealed that Africa had 94% (263 million) of malaria cases and 95% (597,000) of malaria deaths. Children under the age of five accounted for 76% of these deaths annually.

South Africa, despite experiencing improvements over the past two decades, saw a surge in malaria cases and deaths in 2023 compared to the 2,043 cases and 29 deaths reported in 2022. Mozambique – one of the countries with the highest malaria burden in the world, accounted for 3.5% of global cases in 2023. The disease significantly impacts healthcare visits and places a substantial strain on the country's medical infrastructure, especially among children aged six months to five years old. The incidence rate in Mozambique was recorded at 275 cases per 1,000 people, which – although still markedly high - is a welcome decrease from previous years.

Fight against malaria faces multiple challenges

Several challenges hamper progress in the fight against malaria. Climate change and extreme weather events, such as Cyclone Freddy in 2023, significantly exacerbated malaria transmission in Mozambique. The cyclone and subsequent flooding led to a 63% increase in malaria cases in the affected regions over an 11-week period, compared to the same period in 2022.

The World Malaria Report points to other challenges faced by malaria-endemic countries such as fragile health systems, conflict, weak surveillance, population displacement and drug and insecticide resistance.

Funding, according to the WHO report, also remains a major barrier to future progress and was inadequate to reverse current trends. In 2023, global funding for malaria control amounted to an estimated US$ 4 billion, which is significantly below the US$ 8.3 billion target set by the WHO global malaria strategy. The funding gap has widened over the past five years, increasing from US$ 2.6 billion to US$ 4.3 billion. Adequate funding is crucial to keep progress on track and ensure the continued effectiveness of malaria control efforts.

Powerful partnership doubles down on malaria elimination goals

Vitality Health International, is unwavering in its commitment to the elimination of malaria. Vitality Health International and Goodbye Malaria share a strategic focus in the fight against malaria in Africa, with the aim of striving to eliminate this deadly, yet preventable, disease in years to come.

Goodbye Malaria is an African-run social benefit organisation with the goal of eliminating malaria. Goodbye Malaria facilitates public-private partnerships, bringing together the private sector, the governments of Mozambique, Eswatini and South Africa as well as The Global Fund while supporting and catalysing on-the-ground malaria elimination programmes.

Sherwin Charles, Co-founder and CEO of Goodbye Malaria, emphasises: “Our partnership with Vitality Health International is a powerful example of how we can unite to address Africa’s pressing health challenges, particularly the fight against malaria. By working together we’re able to accelerate impactful, on-the-ground interventions that not only protect lives but also address the healthcare disparities that make malaria a persistent threat. With the release of the 2024 World Malaria Report, we’re reminded of the urgency and importance of this mission – to build a more equitable world where malaria no longer claims the lives of our most vulnerable.”

Targeted interventions and multi-pronged approached needed to tackle malaria in countries like Mozambique

In Mozambique, malaria poses a significant challenge to public health. The disease is one of the primary reasons why individuals need to visit healthcare practitioners in Mozambique, straining the country’s medical infrastructure. Goodbye Malaria carries out vital work in collaboration with Mozambique’s National Malaria Control Programme to eliminate malaria in the country.

Like with most infectious conditions, malaria requires a multipronged approach – indoor spraying, nets and the responsible use of prophylactics when travelling.

Another valuable tool in the fight against malaria is a malaria vaccine against the deadliest malaria parasite, Plasmodium Falciparum. The vaccine is currently recommended for children from the ages of 5 months to five years, who live in regions with moderate to high malaria transmission. It has already been rolled out in a few African countries.

Supporting organisations like Goodbye Malaria is crucial for reducing malaria cases and deaths.

Read moreabout the evolution of malaria in Mozambique and the power of targeted interventions in Vitality Health International’s Vitality Insights report, in partnership with Goodbye Malaria.

Vitality Health International turning the tide on malaria

To address the challenge of malaria in the countries in which it is present, Vitality Health International pioneered the first-to-market Vitality Malaria Benefit within the range of Vitality Health International’s healthcare insurance plans. It includes a rapid diagnostic test for employers to make available for their employees. Over-the-counter medication will also be made available where a positive result is picked up.

An additional initiative, Discovery Vitality MoveToGive also aims to help eliminate malaria across southern Africa. This initiative enables Discovery Vitality members to donate their Discovery Miles toward supporting Goodbye Malaria in funding the costs of spraying of houses, providing malaria rapid test kits and medicine for the treatment of malaria.

“The impact of the MoveToGive campaign cannot be underestimated,” says Knox.

In 2023, the campaign resulted in:

• 17,963 people protected through the residual spraying of homes

• 262 people received rapid testing and comprehensive malaria treatment

• 4,560 rapid diagnostic tests were donated

You can support Goodbye Malaria by making a one-time or monthly donation: donate.goodbyemalaria.com

Knox concludes: “At Vitality Health International, our partnership with Goodbye Malaria allows us to work towards a future where this devastating disease no longer threatens the lives and wellbeing of millions.”