“Invest in the future: defeat malaria” World Malaria Day is commemorated on April 25.

Between 2000 and 2012, the scale-up of effective malaria pre­vention and control interventions saved more than 3.3 million lives and decreased malaria mortality by 45% globally and 49% in sub-Saharan Africa. 

In spite of those accomplishments, an estimated 207 million cases of malaria were reported globally in 2012, accounting for 627,000 deaths. 

Because of increases in insecticide and drug resistance and changes in malaria epidemi­ology as a result of scaled-up interventions, new approaches are needed to sustain progress in malaria control and lead toward elimination. 

World Malaria Day 2014’s theme, 

“Invest in the future: defeat malaria,”

is a reminder of the challenge and the ultimate goal.

CDC supports global malaria control efforts through the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), a U.S. government interagency initiative to reduce malaria incidence and mortality in 19 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and in the Greater Mekong Subregion in Asia. 

PMI has helped deliver millions of insecticide-treated mosquito nets, antimalarial drugs, and rapid diagnostic test kits to ensure that persons at risk for malaria will have access to life-saving prevention and treatment. 

CDC also supports global malaria control efforts through conducting multidisciplinary strategic and applied research globally to increase knowledge about malaria and develop safe, effective interventions that can further reduce death and illness and will be needed to eliminate malaria.

Additional information regarding CDC’s malaria activities is available at http://www.cdc.gov/malaria. 

Information on the President’s Malaria Initiative is available at http://www.pmi.gov.