Although eliminated in parts of the world decades ago, malaria continues to pose a serious public health threat, endangering nearly half the global population. In 2023 alone, there were 263 million malaria cases and 597,000 related deaths worldwide (WHO). The African Region bore the brunt of this burden, accounting for 94% of cases and 95% of deaths.

Malaria disproportionately affects the poorest and most marginalised communities – those with the least access to effective prevention and treatment services. Children under five, pregnant women, and individuals living with HIV and AIDS are particularly vulnerable due to weakened immune systems. In 2023, children under five accounted for nearly 76% of all malaria deaths in the WHO African Region.

World Vision is committed to the fight against malaria until it is eradicated. Prevention and treatment are integrated into our core global health strategy. In high-risk areas, we ensure families – particularly mothers and young children – have access to insecticide-treated mosquito nets and essential health services.

Our interventions include:

• Supporting integrated community case management (iCCM), enabling community health workers to diagnose and treat malaria
• Promoting intermittent preventive treatment for pregnant women
• Facilitating indoor residual spraying (IRS) to kill mosquitoes in homes
• Improving environmental hygiene to reduce mosquito breeding grounds

THE MALARIA VACCINE

In October 2021, the World Health Organization recommended the RTS,S malaria vaccine for use in regions with moderate to high transmission. This decision followed a successful pilot programme reaching over 1 million children in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi since 2019.

World Vision fully supports the rollout of the RTS,S vaccine, recognising it as a safe, effective, and practical tool in the fight against malaria. The vaccine began national rollout in Cameroon in January 2024.

WORLD VISION'S MALARIA INVESTMENTS THROUGH THE GLOBAL FUND

In 2023, with support from the Global Fund, World Vision achieved the following:

• 44 million people directly benefited from malaria prevention and treatment efforts
• 19,394,606 long-lasting insecticidal nets distributed
• 391,643 households protected through indoor residual spraying
• 6,372,399 suspected malaria cases tested
• 5,552,235 confirmed cases treated with first-line antimalarial medication

Read more:

• What is malaria? Facts, Symptoms and what World Vision is doing 
• Digital Health Factsheet: Fighting malaria with digital health tools in Angola
• Integrated Community Case Management - a World Vision project approach