Based on modelling and additional analyses that consider global trends, new innovations, efficiencies and funding, a new report launched by The Lancet Commission on malaria eradication concludes that malaria, one of the world’s oldest and deadliest diseases, can and should be eradicated within a generation.

Malaria life cycle/CDC

Authored by 41 leading malaria experts and representing numerous disciplines, The Lancet Commission’s report projects how – with the right tools, strategies, and sufficient funding – the world can eradicate malaria. The first academic report of its kind also proposes solutions to the major operational, biological and financial challenges to achieving this goal.

The Lancet Commission report follows the release of the executive summary of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) report of the Strategic Advisory Group on Malaria Eradication expected later this year. Both The Lancet Commission’s report and WHO advisory group’s summary conclude that despite tremendous progress made against malaria in recent decades putting the world on a path to eradication, current trends and tools, along with a plateau in global funding, are not enough.

Experts from The Lancet Commission and WHO advisory group point to urgent actions required by the global community, including increased funding by donor and malaria-affected countries; greater investment in developing and distributing new transformative tools; making better use of existing tools through the use of data; and, stronger leadership and partnerships. They also emphasize that the socio-economic benefits of eradicating malaria will far outweigh the increased investments needed to achieve the ambitious and worthwhile goal.

“New evidence shows that eradicating malaria is feasible, and we must do everything we can to equip the world to end this preventable disease within a generation,” said Martin Edlund, CEO of Malaria No More. “If we double down on ending malaria now, the world will reap massive social, humanitarian and economic benefits and save millions of people from needlessly dying from mosquito bites.”

Calling for increased commitments and collaborations by political leaders, the private sector and civil society, both groups concluded that eradicating malaria will save millions of lives, help reduce poverty and provide significant global economic benefits.

In an accompanying commentary in The LancetDr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, reinforced the Commission’s findings, and challenged world leaders to deliver on promises made to end malaria. According to WHO’s advisory group, scaling up malaria control tools to reach 90% of people in the 29 highest malaria burden countries by 2030 could yield an estimated economic gain of $283 billion that would far exceed estimated costs of around $35 billion.

Read more at Malaria No More