The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 27 nations, including all of Europe and 6 African countries will be deemed malaria free by 2020.  Last year, more than 95 countries had ongoing malaria transmission, resulting in more than 3.2 billion people being at risk for malaria. The elimination of this disease would improve the livelihoods and health for billions- with nations in Sub-Saharan Africa being the major winners.

Last year, all of the WHO’s designated European region reported zero cases of malaria. In 2014, the countries of Argentina, Costa, Rica, Iraq, Morocco, Oman, Paraguay, Sri Lanka and United Arab Emirates reported zero malaria cases.

The major win in the new round of nations set to declare themselves malaria free by 2020 are the six African nations of Algeria, Botswana, Cape Verde, Comoros, South Africa and Swaziland.  Malaria has had devastating socioeconomic impacts on populations across Africa and is one of the leading causes of absenteeism from activities like school and work.

Malaria cases in Sub-Saharan Africa are the highest in the world. 88% of malaria cases and 90% of malaria deaths were reported in this region. These numbers in sub-Saharan Africa persist despite significant improvements around the world.

Since 2000, the overall, global mortality rates have dropped 60% with the African region seeing the largest improvement, dropping 66% among all age groups and 71% among children.

This progress has saved the lives of over 6.2 million lives.

The reduction in cases of malaria across the African continent can be traced to the improved availability of bed nets containing insecticide, an aggressive combination of therapies for those who have contracted the disease, and country-wide commitments to strengthen infrastructural controls for malaria.

For a country like South Africa, being malaria-free is a specific public health objective. The country’s 6 yearMalaria Elimination Strategic Plan, that spans from 2012 to 2018, features consistent reviews by the WHO to adjust interventions, strategies and activities used to achieve the goal.  

Making malaria obsolete is both a national and international mission. On the international side, the fight to stop malaria in African nations has one team player from the US who is as committed to getting rid of malaria as he is at being a phenomenal NBA point guard: Steph Curry.

The Nothing But Nets hero has been pledging life-saving bed nets in exchange for his three point shots since 2012! Currently, Steph is again partnering with the UN Foundation’s Nothing But Nets campaign, in addition to Malaria No More and the United States Agency for International Development, to challenge everyone to take a shot to end malaria. 

With international activators like Curry, the commitment of organizations like Malaria No More and the dedication of national leaders, the elimination of malaria by 2020 might be a reality for more nations than even the WHO estimates. 

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Defeat Poverty

27 more nations set to be malaria free by 2020

By Katherine Curtiss