By Wumi Tewogbade, Abuja

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday, said about US$45 billion would be needed in the next 4 years to meet global malaria targets.

This was contained in a message to commemorate the World Malaria Day (WMD), issued by WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr
Mohamed Janabi, in Abuja.

The theme for 2026 WMD, is ‘ Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can. Now We Must’.

He lamented that the tiny mosquito continues to cause enormous harm. Every year, malaria kills
hundreds of thousands of people, most of them young African children.

He said, “Yet today we can also say something once unimaginable. We have the commitment, knowledge and tools to dramatically reduce malaria illness and deaths, eventually ending malaria as a public health threat”.

Speaking on the theme he said, “The theme of this year’s World Malaria Day is Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can.
Now We Must. This is both a message of hope and an urgent call to action.
Across the African Region, countries are showing stronger leadership, increasing
domestic investment and using innovation to protect those most at risk”.

He noted, “The malaria
response is entering a new phase shaped by country ownership, smarter data use, stronger community engagement and transformative new tools. Elimination is no longer
a distant aspiration. It is an achievable goal if we act decisively, now.

“Our Region still carries the world’s heaviest malaria burden. In 2024 alone, nearly 600,000 lives were lost in Africa. Three-quarters of those deaths were among young children. These preventable deaths remind us why progress cannot wait.

“There are encouraging signs of momentum. More than ten countries have increased
domestic financing for malaria programmes since January 2025. Twenty-five countries
are rolling out malaria vaccines, helping protect around 10 million children each year”.

He said the next-generation mosquito nets is designed to overcome insecticide resistance now
account for the vast majority of newly distributed nets.

“Digital technologies are improving
our ability to predict, detect and respond to outbreaks. Plus new vector control innovations are expanding our toolbox. .

“But progress is not guaranteed. Funding gaps continue to slow the response. At least US$45 billion will be needed between 2026 and 2030 to meet global malaria targets. Insecticide resistance is widespread. Drug resistance is emerging in some settings.

“Climate variability is changing transmission patterns. And humanitarian crises and displacement are increasing vulnerability”.

The WHO boss noted that, it is possible to overcome the challenges, because there are stronger political commitment, better data, more
engaged communities and more powerful tools than ever before.

“Now we must—because when investment declines and programmes weaken, malaria
returns quickly, reversing hard-won gains and costing lives. To seize this moment, five priorities are essential:

“First, countries must continue to lead the malaria response with strong national ownership. When governments prioritize malaria as a dividend of national development and mobilize domestic resources, they lay the foundation
for sustainable impact” he noted.