New data from the World Health Organization has confirmed that malaria remains a formidable global health challenge, with an estimated 282 million cases and 610,000 deaths recorded in 2024. The figures, published in the WHO World Malaria Report 2025, were unveiled ahead of the 2026 World Malaria Day and underscore how a preventable and treatable disease continues to claim hundreds of thousands of lives each year.
How Malaria Spreads and Who Is Most at Risk
Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites, which are transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. These mosquitoes typically feed between dusk and dawn, making night-time protection essential. The disease cannot be passed through casual contact such as hugging, coughing or sharing food, but it can be transmitted from a pregnant mother to her unborn child during pregnancy or childbirth.
Although many people regard mosquito bites as a mere nuisance, the bite of an infected mosquito can lead to severe illness. Without prompt diagnosis and proper treatment, malaria can progress to severe anaemia, organ failure, cerebral malaria and death. The WHO notes that “innovations such as malaria vaccines, next-generation insecticide-treated nets and improved medicines are saving lives,” but also warns that progress is being eroded by drug resistance, climate change, humanitarian crises and inadequate funding.
Africa Continues to Carry the Highest Burden
According to the WHO report, Africa accounts for 94 per cent of global malaria cases and 95 per cent of malaria-related deaths. Even more alarming is that approximately 75 per cent of malaria deaths on the continent occur among children under five years of age. These statistics represent families devastated, futures cut short and communities weighed down by largely preventable losses.
Nigeria is among the countries most severely affected by malaria. Alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Mozambique and Uganda, Nigeria contributes more than half of the global malaria burden. This troubling reality demands sustained action from governments, healthcare institutions, the private sector, community leaders and individual citizens.
Global Progress and Persisting Threats
The theme for the 2026 World Malaria Day, “Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can. Now We Must,” reflects renewed optimism. Since 2000, malaria interventions have prevented an estimated 2.3 billion cases and saved about 14 million lives globally. Forty-seven countries have been certified malaria-free, demonstrating that elimination is achievable with sustained political commitment and investment.
Despite these successes, the disease continues to thrive in sub-Saharan Africa, fuelled by poverty, poor sanitation, weak healthcare systems and limited access to quality medical care. The WHO has raised concerns that without adequate funding and global attention, recent gains could be reversed.
The Danger of Treating Every Fever as Malaria
One misconception that continues to worsen Nigeria’s malaria burden is the assumption that every fever is malaria. Fever is a symptom, not a disease. Although malaria frequently causes fever, many viral, bacterial and other medical conditions do the same. Unfortunately, many individuals begin taking antimalarial drugs without first confirming the cause of their illness.
This culture of self-medication is dangerous. Malaria symptoms such as fever, chills, headache, weakness and excessive sweating can resemble those of other illnesses. Proper diagnosis should be made using blood microscopy or Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs). Treating malaria without confirmation not only contributes to drug resistance but may also delay treatment for the actual illness.
Diagnosis, Treatment and Vulnerable Groups
Health experts consistently advise that malaria treatment should only begin after confirmation. Once diagnosed, the WHO recommends Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT), prescribed by qualified healthcare professionals. Patients should complete the full course of treatment, even after symptoms disappear, and obtain medications only from licensed pharmacies and accredited healthcare facilities to avoid counterfeit or substandard drugs.
Children under five, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to severe malaria. Without urgent medical attention, severe malaria can rapidly progress to coma, multiple organ failure or death within 24 hours. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment remain essential to saving lives.
Ogun State’s Efforts to Reduce Malaria
Governments at all levels must continue to strengthen malaria prevention and treatment efforts. In Ogun State, the administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun has sustained various healthcare interventions aimed at reducing malaria prevalence and expanding access to quality healthcare. These include the distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets, the provision of malaria test kits and antimalarial medicines, and improved access to services through government hospitals and primary healthcare centres.
The Ogun State Health Insurance Agency (OGSHIA) also deserves commendation for expanding affordable healthcare coverage to residents in both the formal and informal sectors. By encouraging people to seek professional medical care rather than relying on self-medication, the scheme is contributing to improved health outcomes and reducing preventable deaths.
A Collective Responsibility to End Malaria
Nevertheless, government efforts alone cannot eliminate malaria. The private sector has a critical role through corporate social responsibility initiatives. Businesses can support malaria control by donating treated mosquito nets, sponsoring free screening programmes, supporting healthcare facilities and funding public awareness campaigns.
Religious leaders, traditional rulers and community leaders also have vital roles, particularly in rural communities where ignorance and self-medication remain prevalent. Through churches, mosques, palaces, schools and community meetings, they can promote accurate health information and encourage preventive practices. Communities must equally prioritise environmental sanitation by clearing blocked drains, eliminating stagnant water and maintaining clean surroundings where mosquitoes cannot breed.
Individuals also have responsibilities. Sleeping under insecticide-treated mosquito nets, using mosquito repellents, keeping homes clean, testing before treatment and completing prescribed medication are simple but highly effective measures that can save lives. Good sanitation remains one of the simplest and most effective strategies for reducing malaria transmission.
Hope and Resolve
Malaria is neither a death sentence nor an inevitable part of life in Africa. It is a preventable and treatable disease that continues to flourish largely because of negligence, misinformation and insufficient collective action. With stronger public awareness, better healthcare systems, sustained political commitment and active community participation, malaria can be drastically reduced and ultimately eliminated.
The fight against malaria is a shared responsibility. Governments, healthcare professionals, development partners, private organisations, religious institutions, community leaders and citizens must all play their part. Malaria has stolen far too many lives for far too long. The knowledge, tools and resources to defeat it already exist. What remains is the collective will to act, and the resolve to act now.
Nosimot Soneye writes from the Ogun State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Abeokuta.
