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In 2022, the 2023 World Malaria Report by the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed India’s prominence in the South-East Asia Region for the highest number of malaria cases and fatalities. Approximately 2% of the global malaria burden (5.2 million cases) stemmed from nine countries in this region.
India alone accounted for 66% of the malaria cases in the region, with about 94% of deaths occurring in India and Indonesia. Globally, an estimated 249 million malaria cases were reported in 2022, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 16 million cases (233 million in 2019).
The report highlighted a surge of five million additional malaria cases in 2022 compared to the previous year, notably in Pakistan, which experienced a notable increase from 500,000 cases in 2021 to 2.6 million in 2022. Significant rises were also observed in Ethiopia, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, and Uganda.
In the 11 high-burden malaria countries, infection rates and deaths stabilized after an initial upsurge during the pandemic’s onset. Supported by the WHO’s “High burden to high impact” approach, these nations witnessed an estimated 167 million malaria cases and 426,000 deaths in 2022.
The report underscored the escalating risk posed by climate change on malaria. Variations in temperature, humidity, and rainfall influence the behavior and survival of Anopheles mosquitoes, carriers of malaria. Extreme weather events like heatwaves and flooding directly impact disease transmission and burden. For instance, Pakistan experienced a five-fold increase in malaria cases following catastrophic flooding in 2022.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, emphasized the urgent need for sustainable and resilient malaria responses, alongside measures to mitigate global warming’s effects. Climate changes indirectly affect malaria trends by hindering access to essential services and disrupting the supply chain of nets, medicines, and vaccines. Climate-induced population displacement might also lead to increased malaria cases as non-immune individuals migrate to endemic areas.
Despite challenges, progress toward malaria elimination is evident in several countries with low disease burdens. In 2022, 34 countries reported fewer than 1000 malaria cases, compared to only 13 in 2000. Three countries—Azerbaijan, Belize, and Tajikistan—were certified malaria-free this year, and others are on track for elimination soon.
The report also noted milestones like the phased introduction of the first WHO-recommended malaria vaccine, RTS,S/AS01, in three African countries. In October 2023, a second safe and effective vaccine, R21/Matrix-M, was recommended by WHO. The availability of two malaria vaccines is expected to bolster supply and enable widespread deployment across Africa.
