.svg)
- Asia Pacific(1) has achieved excellent progress inreducing the malaria burden over the past 20 years
- The South-East Asiaregion reported an 8% increase in malaria cases
- Western Pacific regionreversed upward trend seen in 2020
Singapore, 8 December2022 – The World Health Organization’s (WHO) annual World Malaria Report(2) 2022, published today, shows countries held the line against malaria, avoidingthe worst-case scenario although still seeing a modest increase in cases in 2021 acrossthe globe and within the Asia Pacific region. The Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance (APLMA) and Asia PacificMalaria Elimination Network (APMEN) recognise the remarkable eliminationefforts made by countries despite devastating global disruptions, while warningagainst complacency to ensure the region stays on course to achieve malariaelimination by 2030.
According to the latest estimates,although worldwide malaria cases increased marginally and at a slower ratecompared to 2020, 185 million cases and 997,000 deaths were averted in 2021. Globally,High Burden to High Impact(3) countries had fewer cases than expected duringthe pandemic while over 60% of the WHO’s E-2025(4) initiativecountries -- including Malaysia, Bhutan, Nepal, the Republic of Korea, Thailand,Timor-Leste, and Vanuatu -- maintained progress.
The WHO’s South-East Asia region reported an 8% increase inmalaria cases due to a wide variety of challenges and threats, includingemerging species of malaria, humanitarian conflict, and the ongoing pandemic,all of which have had an impact on progress against malaria. The WHO’s Western Pacific region reversedtheir upward trend from 2020, seeing a 14% drop in malaria cases down to near2019 levels. Papua New Guinea, however, still carried the largest burden in theWestern Pacific region with 87% of cases, followed by the Solomon Islands (11%).Investments in the Greater Mekong Subregion(5) (GMS) have continued topay dividends as the subregion sustains progress. Myanmar however, accountedfor most malaria cases in the subregion due to disruptions in malaria responsecaused by political instability in 2021.
Dr Sarthak Das, ChiefExecutive Officer, APLMA said:
“This year’s report shows the resilience and resolve ofcountries in Asia Pacific to end malaria, despite unprecedented global healthchallenges, but it also reminds us that relentless effort is needed to preventresurgence and reach the last mile. With an estimated 7,507,965 malaria cases aswell as 12,309 deaths from malaria reported in Asia Pacific, we continue to seemalaria affecting the most vulnerable countries - this is unacceptable for apreventable and treatable disease.
We need to persist in protecting the gains Asia Pacific has made over thelast two decades by increasing awareness at all levels of leadership andsupporting well-resourced programmatic efforts. Countries in the region mustalso continue embracing a whole-of-government approach while optimisingtailored approaches for sub-National Districts, States and Provinces, to reachour vision for a malaria-free future.”
The commitments, investments andactions partners and countries make today and over the next few years will becrucial for addressing the inequitable malaria burden across Asia Pacific andthe challenges that parts of the region and countries continue to face. In malaria-endemiccountries like Indonesia, the malaria burden is still unequal. For example, Papua- a remote province - accounts for the majority of the nation’s malaria cases. Yetcountry-wide, out of 514 districts, 347 were declared malaria-free in 2021(6),protecting 85% of the population from the disease.
Dr Maxi Rein Rondonuwu,DHSM, MARS Director General of Communicable Disease Prevention & Control,Indonesia commented:
"While the reporthighlights estimated malaria cases in Indonesia increased slightly in 2021, inthe same year Indonesia declared 29 new malaria-free districts. Malaria is nowmore focused and localisedespecially in Eastern Indonesia. We will accelerate the burden reduction of malariain high-burden districts, such as Papua and Nusa Tenggara Temur throughinnovative and tailored solutions to further enhance surveillance, casemanagement and prevention through community-based and public-privatepartnerships in remote and hard-to-reach areas.
At the national level,Indonesia is also working towards improving access to universal healthcoverage, through our health transformation agenda to address the continuedburden reduction and impact to malaria elimination in Indonesia.”
For years, countries in the AsiaPacific region have prioritised elimination and made significant progress inthe fight against malaria using a variety of tools and strategies: from collaboratingwith neighbouring countries and stepping up malaria surveillance, to playing acritical role in resolving supply chain disruptions of life-saving malariainterventions,to ensuring malaria services continued evenduring the height of the pandemic. Still, our work to reach the end game is farfrom over.
Dr Karma Lhazeen, Chairof the Asia Pacific Malaria Elimination Network (APMEN) Vivax Working Group,said:
“Many countries in theAsia Pacific are on the cusp of history - malaria elimination is within reachfor the first time ever. However, although we have turned a corner withantimalarial drug resistance and significantly driven down P. falciparum casesin the Greater Mekong Subregion, we cannot be complacent. Elimination in theAsia Pacific is not possible if we do not address P. vivax.
More than half of allglobal vivax infections are in the Asia Pacific region, and as the reportindicates, it has now emerged as the dominant species in the GMS and is on therise in other parts of the region. Next generation malaria control tools, suchas single dose or shorter treatments for vivax radical cure and G6PDdiagnostics show promise and are becoming available for implementation.Investment for the deployment of these newly available treatment and diagnostictools is required to finish the job and end malaria in our region.”
The last two decades have beenpivotal to the Asia Pacific region, thanks to strong political leadership, nationalmalaria programs, global partnerships, and investments to date. Now is not thetime to risk the region's hard earned gains. With continued vigilance and resilience,commitment, and collaboration, we can and must stay the course to end thisdeadly disease for generations to come.
Notes to editors
(1) APLMA unites 22 governments in Asia Pacific --across WHO regions Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), South-East Asia Region(SEAR), and Western Pacific Region (WPR) -- who have committed to eliminatingmalaria in the region by 2030. APLMA defines Asia Pacific as: Afghanistan,Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Democratic People's Republic of Korea,India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea,Philippines, Republic of Korea, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand,Timor-Leste, Vanuatu, Viet Nam.
(2) All data and estimated cited are from the WorldMalaria Report 2022 unless otherwise noted. More information is available at: WorldMalaria Report 2022.
(3) “High Burden to High Impact” is a country-led response catalysed by WHO and the RBM Partnership as a mechanism to support the 11highest burden countries to get back on track to achieve the Global technicalstrategy for malaria (GTS) 2025 milestones For more information, visit: http://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/275868
(4) E-2025 is a WHO initiative of 26 countries andterritories identified as having the capacity to eliminate malaria by 2025. Formore information, visit: https://www.who.int/news/item/21-04-2021-world-malaria-day-who-launches-effort-to-stamp-out-malaria-in-25-more-countries-by-2025
(5) GreaterMekong Subregion (GMS) defined as: Cambodia, China (Yunnan Province), the LaoPeople’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam.
(6) Asreported by the Indonesia Ministry of Health, Communicable Disease Prevention& Control, Midterm Review Malaria Programme 2022.
About APLMA and APMEN
APLMA is an affiliation of Asia and Pacific heads ofgovernment, formed to accelerate progress against malaria and to eliminate itin the region by 2030. APLMA was created by the East Asian Summit (EAS) leadersin 2013 to further strengthen anti-malaria efforts, both to help protecthard-won national gains and, ultimately, to defeat malaria in the regionaltogether. To guide this work, the Asia Pacific Leaders’ Elimination Roadmapsets out the strategic priorities for achieving the 2030 goal. aplma.org
The Asia Pacific Malaria Elimination Network (APMEN) is anetwork of countries and stakeholders, committed to eliminating malaria in AsiaPacific by 2030. apmen.org
For further information and media enquiries:
- Dimple Natali – APLMA; E: dnatali@aplma.org
- Helen Lee – GCI Health; E: helen.lee@gcihealth.com
.svg)
