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Malaria, caused by parasites transmitted to humans by mosquitoes, is one of the world’s most common and serious tropical diseases:

• Half the world’s population is at risk for malaria, which is endemic (where a constant, measurable number of new cases and natural transmission occurs over time) in more than 100 countries. Children are at particular risk, accounting for most malaria deaths globally.
• Although preventable and treatable, malaria causes significant morbidity and mortality, particularly in resource-poor regions. Sub- Saharan Africa is the hardest hit region in the world, and parts of Asia and Latin America also face significant malaria epidemics.
• Widespread regional and international efforts to address malaria began in the 1940s and 1950s, and strategies have evolved over time. From the early 1950s until 1978, malaria was eliminated in parts of the Americas, Europe, and Asia.3,4 But such efforts did not reach or were unsuccessful in many of the hardest hit areas, particularly sub-Saharan Africa.  More recent attention to these regions by the United States, other donor governments, multilateral institutions, and affected countries, has helped to increase access to prevention and treatment and reduce cases and deaths.
• Still, while access to interventions has increased, gaps remain and many challenges continue to complicate malaria-control efforts in hard hit areas, including poverty, poor sanitation, weak health systems, limited disease surveillance capabilities, drug and insecticide resistance, natural disasters, armed conflict, migration, and climate change.

Global Health Reporting

You can also download the report here:  The Malaria Epidemic