After decades of relentless effort, the global fight against malaria has reached an inflection point. The World Malaria Report 2025 released by the World Health Organization paints a picture that is at once hopeful and troubling. In 2024, more than 170 million cases and one million deaths were prevented. The Asia Pacific region, in particular, accounted for much of this good news with 10 out of its 17 malaria-endemic countries witnessing a fall in cases. Yet, there are also clouds on the horizon. Progress is slowing and old threats are resurging with a new ferocity. The report revealed that global malaria cases reached 282 million in 2024, a 3% increase from 2023. Deaths rose to 610,000, up from 598,000 in the same period. Two trends loom largest among the challenges. First is the rise of drug resistance — particularly the blunting of artemisinin, the backbone of frontline malaria treatment — threatens to erode decades of hard-won gains. Second is the decline in funding. Despite an urgent global need, investment in 2024 was $3.9 billion, marking a decline from $4 billion in 2023, which was less than half of the $9.3-billion target set by WHO for 2025. Only about 42% of global malaria financing needs were met in 2024. This shortfall, exacerbated by cuts in development assistance, jeopardises surveillance and life-saving interventions at the very moment they are most needed, thereby pushing the ambitious goal of malaria elimination by 2030 increasingly out of reach. Could the withdrawal of the United States of America from WHO worsen the funding crisis?
Hearteningly, India’s performance stands out as a model of sustained, targeted action. Most Indian districts reported reductions in malaria cases in 2024. The government has claimed that malaria incidence is declining by over 80% and deaths by 78%, transitioning India from a high-burden malaria country to a high-impact state, bringing India's ambitious goal of malaria elimination by 2030 within sight. But there is no room for complacency. In 2024, there were 3,900 malaria deaths in Southeast Asia, with India accounting for 88.7% of all deaths in the region. The path to a malaria-free world demands renewed global and domestic commitment. Scaling up of funding, greater investments in next-generation drugs and vaccines, and the strengthening of health systems to detect and respond to evolving resistance hold the key. India, in fact, can serve as a global model, having ensured drug efficacy by strictly adhering to combination therapy and avoiding oral artemisinin monotherapy despite having a high anti-microbial resistance burden.