All these materials are strictly embargoed until 6th December 2021 at 13:00 GMT
About
This year’s WHO World Malaria Report shines new light on the heavy toll malaria continues to have on the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people, particularly children in Africa.
It shows that more than 600,000 people are suffering and dying from a disease that we know how to prevent and treat. Most malaria victims are children under the age of five.
In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, countries and partners averted what could have been a doubling of malaria deaths in 2020. However, the fight against malaria is at a precarious juncture.
Global investments and partnership in malaria prevention, control and elimination, exemplified by the recent decision by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to fund the first-ever malaria vaccine programme and RTS,S rollout, are essential if we are to continue saving millions of lives and strengthening health systems that can protect against malaria and new and emerging diseases.
With the launch of the report this Monday 6th December, we encourage all partners to help us promote the report findings and amplify a common narrative and unified messaging. You can do this by sharing content including posts, photographs and infographics on your social media channels once the report has been released on Monday, and beyond.
This toolkit has some suggested posts for you to use. Further collateral such as social media cards will be uploaded to this toolkit on an ongoing basis.
Key facts
The following statistics reflect the latest WHO findings and should be used in all partner communications materials from 6 December 2021 onwards.
New malaria statistics between 2000 and 2020
- 10.6m lives saved and 1.7bn cases prevented since 2000
- Mortality rates cut by half/50% between 2000 - 2020
- Fall in case incidence rates (cases per 1,000 population at risk) from 81.1 in 2000 to 59 in 2020
- Malaria accounts for 1 in 12 global deaths in children under 5
- A child dies every 1 minute from malaria
- WHO African Region accounts for 95% of cases and 96% of deaths
A more accurate toll of malaria’s burden – 2020 statistics
- 241 million total global malaria cases – an increase of 14 million (6%) compared to revised 2019 estimates (227 million)
- 627,000 total global malaria deaths – an increase of 69,000 (12%) compared to revised 2019 estimates (558,000) - of these, two thirds (47,000) are attributed to COVID-19
- Malaria accounts for 7.8% of global deaths of children under 5 (almost double previous estimates)
- 33.5 million children in sub-Saharan Africa received SMC – an increase of 11.8 million (54%) compared to 2019 (21.7 million)
- 32% of pregnant women in 38 African countries received full course of IPTp in 2020
COVID-19’s impact on malaria fight in 2020
- Averted worst-case scenario of a potential doubling of malaria deaths due to COVID-19
- 12% rise in malaria deaths in sub-Saharan Africa
- Two-thirds (47,000) of all additional malaria deaths due to COVID-related disruptions
- 4.3% fall in malaria diagnoses
Malaria elimination
- 23 countries reached 3 consecutive years of zero malaria cases since 2000
- 12 countries certified malaria-free by WHO since 2000 (El Salvador and China achieved certification during the pandemic)
- 40 countries reduced malaria deaths by at least 40% between 2015 – 2020 (WHO SE Asia region achieved the global technical strategy milestone of a 40% reduction in malaria cases and deaths between 2015-2020)
- 26 countries achieved fewer than 100 indigenous malaria cases between 2000 – 2020.
Statistics reflect the latest WHO findings and revised methodology for reporting causes of under 5 mortality.
Messaging materials
The RBM Partnership to End Malaria has developed a press statement and messaging document which are available for all partners to share far and wide. Partners are encouraged to include a quote from their own spokesperson in the statement, to share on websites, newsletters or with local media. Please note these are strictly under embargo until 6th December 2021 at 13:00 GMT.
Social media
Below is a selection of suggested posts that you can share when discussing the World Malaria Report. We also encourage partners to post about the day, share and interact with posts, and tag @endmalaria and @WHO (Twitter) or @RBMPartnership and @WHO (Facebook) in all relevant social media activity around the release of the report on the 6th December and beyond.
A number of social media assets developed by the RBM Partnership are also available for partners to use in social media content relating to the World Malaria Report 2021, including still infographics, our innovation animation and a malaria elimination video.
Hashtags:
- #WorldMalariaReport
- #EndMalaria
- #ZeroMalariaStartswithMe
Today @WHO has released the latest #WorldMalariaReport. Despite the threat of #COVID19, global efforts averted what could have been the doubling of malaria deaths. Learn more about countries and partners’ heroic efforts during the pandemic in the report: [insert link]
This year’s #WorldMalariaReport published by @WHO shines new light on the heavy toll malaria continues to have on the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people, particularly children in Africa. Learn more in the report: [insert link]
The #WorldMalariaReport makes clear the fight against malaria is at a precarious juncture. Ahead of the @GlobalFund’s 7th Replenishment in 2022, leaders must act to mobilize new funding to save millions more lives and #endmalaria. [Link to RBM statement]
Despite heroic efforts from partners, the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to a 12% increase in malaria deaths in 2020. Malaria investments not only accelerate progress against the disease but can also strengthen countries’ pandemic response capabilities – the time to act is now.
The @WHO #WorldMalariaReport reveals 627,000 people died from malaria in 2020 – mostly children in Africa. Only by increasing awareness and funding of malaria prevention methods and tools, can we #endmalaria once and for all. [insert link to report]
Since 2000, the #malaria community has worked tirelessly, preventing 1.7 billion cases of #malaria and saving 10.6 million lives! However, this remarkable progress in reaching #ZeroMalaria is far from assured. Read the @endmalaria statement to learn more: [insert link]
23 countries have reached #ZeroMalaria since 2000! 🎉 However, the fight to #endmalaria is not yet over, we must continue investing in innovations that will help us stay ahead of a changing vector and parasite. #WorldMalariaReport
#DYK that South East Asia achieved its global elimination targets for 2020? Some regions across the world are continuing to make significant progress in reaching #ZeroMalaria, despite the challenges of COVID-19! 🎉 Learn more in the #WorldMalariaReport: [link to report]
Countries on the verge of elimination weren’t deterred by #COVID19. In 2021, China 🇨🇳 and El Salvador 🇸🇻 were certified malaria-free 🦟 by @WHO after achieving 3 consecutive years of zero malaria cases 🎉 thanks to their ongoing efforts to #endmalaria. #WorldMalariaReport
Despite COVID-19’s impact around the world 🌍 the global malaria community has shown unprecedented collaboration in mitigating COVID-19’s impact on the malaria fight, reaching more children than ever before with seasonal malaria chemoprevention in 2020! #WorldMalariaReport
According to the @WHO #WorldMalariaReport, deaths from #malaria tragically increased by 12% in 2020. Global leaders must now sustain investments and invest even more in the #malaria fight to accelerate progress while strengthening pandemic preparedness.
Years of research and development have created the most robust malaria innovation pipeline ever. We must now accelerate the research, development and introduction of these tools to #endmalaria 🦟 within a generation! @WHO
As the #WorldMalariaReport shows, we must continue to work together to deliver on the promise of a #malaria-free world - with half the world still at risk 🌍 To achieve our targets, we need to increase commitment and accelerate progress: [link RBM statement]
Last week, @gavi announced funding which will support the delivery of the first-ever malaria vaccine to children in Africa – but we cannot stop there. We must accelerate the research, development and introduction of these tools so that we can #endmalaria 💉🦟
Today @WHO has released this year’s #WorldMalariaReport finding that global efforts averted what could have been the doubling of malaria deaths - despite the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the ongoing reality of COVID-19 and humanitarian emergencies continue to threaten the fight against #malaria. By strengthening health systems, optimizing the use of current malaria interventions and accelerating the development and introduction of transformative ones, we can achieve a rapid decline in malaria deaths and cases, improve countries’ resilience against current and future pandemics and save millions more lives. Be sure to read the latest insights from this year’s report: [insert link]
This year’s #WorldMalariaReport published by @WHO shines new light on the heavy toll malaria continues to have on the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people, particularly children in Africa. As we head towards the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment in 2022, leaders must mobilize new funding for the malaria fight to save millions more lives, accelerate much-needed progress and facilitate an earlier end to malaria. Read the @endmalaria statement in full: [insert link]
The @WHO #WorldMalariaReport 2021 finds that Africa now accounts for 96% of all global malaria deaths, with 80% of these deaths from this preventable and treatable disease among children under 5. We must take urgent action to save to accelerate progress against malaria and relieve the disease’s great burden on fragile health systems across the continent. Read the report: [insert link]
Since 2000, the #malaria community has worked tirelessly, preventing 1.7 billion cases of #malaria and saving 10.6 million lives! However, this remarkable progress in the fight to reach a malaria-free world is far from assured. Don’t miss the @WHO #WorldMalariaReport to find out more [insert link]
23 countries have now reached #ZeroMalaria since 2000! 🎉 However, the fight to #endmalaria is not yet over! We must continue investing in innovations that will help us stay ahead of a changing vector and parasite, particularly in the face of growing insecticide and drug resistance. Together with renewed urgency, we must optimize the use of current malaria interventions and quickly accelerate the development and introduction of transformative ones. #WorldMalariaReport
Countries on the verge of elimination weren’t deterred by COVID-19's rapid spread across the world. In 2021, China 🇨🇳 and El Salvador 🇸🇻 were certified malaria-free 🦟 by WHO after achieving 3 consecutive years of zero malaria cases 🎉 Join us in congratulating these countries in their ongoing efforts to #endmalaria. #WorldMalariaReport
Despite COVID-19’s rapid spread to all parts of the world 🌍 the global malaria community has shown unprecedented collaboration in mitigating COVID-19’s impact on the malaria fight. More children than ever before were reached with seasonal malaria chemoprevention last year, while partners worked together using real-time data to avoid widespread stockouts of life-saving malaria medicines and rapid diagnostic tests. Learn more about how partners responded to disruptions caused by the pandemic in the latest World Malaria Report: [insert link]
Despite heroic efforts from partners, the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to a 12% increase in malaria deaths in 2020. We must continue to tackle malaria and COVID-19 together through sustained investments and investing even more funding in the malaria fight 🦟 to strengthen countries’ pandemic preparedness and response capabilities. [insert link to statement]
As the #WorldMalariaReport shows, we must continue to work together to deliver on the promise of a #malaria-free world with half of the planet’s population’s still at risk 🌍 To achieve our targets, we need to increase commitment and accelerate progress: [link RBM statement]
Years of research and development have created the most robust malaria innovation pipeline ever, including new vector control tools, antimalarial drugs and vaccine candidates. Last week, @Gavi announced funding which will support the delivery of the first-ever malaria vaccine to children in Africa – but we cannot stop there. By accelerating the research, development and introduction of these tools we can #endmalaria 🦟 within a generation and stop emerging drug and insecticide resistance in their tracks.
Contact
Thank you for your help and support. If you have any questions, please contact:
- Email: info@endmalaria.org
- Website: endmalaria.org
- Facebook: @RBMPartnership
- Twitter: @endmalaria