WORLD MALARIA DAY 2026

WORLD MALARIA DAY 2026

Theme: Innovate to Eliminate – Now We Can. Now We Must.

Statement by the Centre for Sustainable Access to Health in Africa (CeSAHA)

On this World Malaria Day, CeSAHA joins the global community to reaffirm our commitment to a malaria-free Africa. We echo the urgent call to leverage innovation and collective action to eliminate this persistent public health challenge.

Malaria continues to impact our region and ravage our communities disproportionately. In 2023, an estimated 263M people were infected, resulting in over 600,000 deaths, most of whom were children under five. Shockingly, 95% of these cases occurred within the WHO African Region, underscored by unequal access to prevention, diagnostics, and life-saving care and other adverse social determinants of health.

At CeSAHA, we believe "Malaria Ends With Us." We cannot outsource our responsibility; we just have to take the bull by the horns and take necessary action towards the total elimination of malaria. To finish the fight, we call for:

• Reinvestment in Innovation: Scaling the delivery of life-saving tools, including insecticide-treated nets and the latest R21 and RTS,S vaccines.

• Community-Centred Strategies: Placing local communities at the heart of our interventions to ensure no child dies from a mosquito bite.

• Sustained Political Will: Accelerating elimination efforts through purpose, equity, and urgency, particularly in the most burdened regions.

A healthy, wealthy Africa is possible. Let us act now with determination to ensure a future where malaria is no longer a threat to our prosperity.

Centre for Sustainable Access to Health in Africa (CeSAHA)

Apr 25, 2026