World Malaria Day, marked each year on 25 April, is an occasion to highlight the need for continued investment and sustained political commitment for malaria prevention and control. The Day was instituted by World Health Organization (WHO) Member States during the 2007 World Health Assembly. Malaria Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by Plasmodium parasites. The parasites are spread to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, called "malaria vectors." There are 5 parasite species that cause malaria in humans, and 2 of these species - P. falciparum and P. vivax - pose the greatest threat. Malaria is a preventable and treatable disease that continues to have a devastating impact on the health and livelihood of people around the world. In 2024, there were an estimated 282 million cases and 610,000 deaths—a slight increase from 2023. Symptoms Malaria is an acute febrile illness. In a non-immune individual, symptoms usually appear 10–15 days after the infective mosquito bite. The first symptoms - fever, headache, and chills - may be mild and difficult to recognize as malaria. If not treated within 24 hours, P. falciparum malaria can progress to severe illness, often leading to death. Children with severe malaria frequently develop one or more of the following symptoms: severe anaemia, respiratory distress in relation to metabolic acidosis, or cerebral malaria. In adults, multi-organ failure is also frequent. In malaria endemic areas, people may develop partial immunity, allowing asymptomatic infections to occur. Prevention Vector control is the main way to prevent and reduce malaria transmission. If coverage of vector control interventions within a specific area is high enough, then a measure of protection will be conferred across the community. Treatment Early diagnosis and treatment of malaria reduces disease and prevents deaths. It also contributes to reducing malaria transmission. The best available treatment, particularly for P. falciparum malaria, is artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT). Elimination and Eradication Malaria elimination is defined as the interruption of local transmission of a specified malaria parasite species in a defined geographical area as a result of deliberate activities. Continued measures are required to prevent re-establishment of transmission. Malaria eradication is defined as the permanent reduction to zero of the worldwide incidence of malaria infection caused by human malaria parasites as a result of deliberate activities. Interventions are no longer required once eradication has been achieved. Certification of malaria elimination is the official recognition by WHO of a country’s malaria-free status. The certification is granted when a country has shown – with rigorous, credible evidence – that the chain of indigenous malaria transmission by Anopheles mosquitoes has been interrupted nationwide for at least the past three consecutive years. A country must also demonstrate the capacity to prevent the re-establishment of transmission. Globally, 47 countries and territories have been granted a malaria-free certification from WHO – including, most recently, Timor-Leste, Georgia and Suriname during 2025. 2026 World Malaria Day Science is advancing faster than ever. For the first time, ending malaria in our lifetime is a real possibility. New vaccines, treatments, malaria control tools and pioneering technologies - including genetic modification of mosquitos and long-acting injectables - are in development. Already, 25 countries are rolling out malaria vaccines to protect 10 million children a year. Next-generation mosquito nets now make up 84% of all new nets distributed. Nationally-led programmes are driving change. The possibility has never been greater. On World Malaria Day 2026, the World Health Organization joins partners to launch the campaign: "Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can. Now We Must." This is a rallying cry to grasp the moment—to protect lives now and fund a malaria-free future. Populations at risk of malaria Malaria disproportionately affects those in situations of greatest poverty and vulnerability, with young children in the African Region suffering the greatest mortality. Refugees, migrants and internally displaced people are at higher risk of malaria, due to limited access to health services, and financial and geographical barriers. Migrant populations such as miners, agriculture workers, labourers and soldiers are particularly susceptible to malaria. Indigenous Peoples are at high risk of malaria due to the remote locations - far from health services - and conditions in which they often live. Pregnant women living in poor, rural areas are disproportionately impacted by malaria.Pregnancy reduces women’s immunity to malaria, making them more susceptible to infection and increasing their risk of severe disease and death. Malaria infection in pregnancy also carries substantial risks for the fetus and newborn child – including low birthweight, a strong risk factor for neonatal and childhood mortality. Key messages To make a malaria-free future a reality, we must: Sustain & scale funding, with efficiency: Commit to sustained, diversified financing—both international and domestic. In an era of real financial constraints, every dollar must work harder. We must prioritize high-impact, data-driven interventions and deliver optimized responses that maximize value and minimize waste. Funding is what gets new vaccines, treatments, and tools out of labs and into the communities that need them most. Champion country leadership: Support nationally-led programmes that are driving change and tailor interventions to local needs for maximum impact. Strong national ownership is the foundation of an efficient and sustainable response. Ensure consistent partner support: Progress depends on predictable, aligned, and consistent support from all partners. Sustainable gains are built not on sporadic commitments, but on reliable collaboration that allows countries to plan and implement for the long term. Accelerate innovation: Continue to invest in research and development for new generations of tools, including those to beat insecticide, diagnostic and drug resistance. Empower communities: Engage and resource communities as protagonists in their own health, everyone has a role to play. Malaria elimination certification at a glance Certification of malaria elimination is the official recognition by WHO of a country’s malaria-free status. WHO grants this certification when a country has proven, beyond reasonable doubt, that the chain of indigenous malaria transmission has been interrupted nationwide for at least the past 3 consecutive years. A country must also demonstrate the capacity to prevent the re-establishment of malaria transmission. A national surveillance system capable of rapidly detecting and responding to malaria cases (if they were occurring) must be operational, together with an appropriate programme to prevent re-establishment of transmission. Malaria vaccine Source : WHO Malaria control in India National Center for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India is the central nodal agency for the prevention and control of Vector Borne Diseases in India. At present, the Monitoring & Evaluation reports of Malaria Elimination Program are compiled physically from the grass root levels of the health system, in stipulated formats and sent to NVBDCP for National level compilation and necessary action. This process consumes lot of time & energy for physical delivery of the state’s data to NVBDCP, which is usually around one month. For achieving online and real-time reporting in Malaria Elimination Program, two states were selected for pilot testing of the Web-based Malaria MIS. This application consists of information on Malaria case management, Vector Control, Reports, Dashboard and Maps (using Google features). In the initial stages of this initiative, village-wise data entry is done by the ground level field workers like ANM, MPHW, etc., For more details, click here. Related resources National Center for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India World malaria report 2025