A child has a better chance of survival now than at any point in history—in large part because of progress against malaria.

Since 2000, U.S. leadership alongside a concerted global effort has helped save almost 7.6 million lives and prevent more than 1.5 billion malaria cases. Yet nearly half the world's population lives in areas at risk of malaria transmission and malaria remains a leading cause of sickness and death in sub-Saharan Africa. Of the 409,000 estimated malaria deaths in 2019, almost 95 percent occurred in Africa, primarily in children under five years of age. Insecticide resistance and antimalarial drug resistance are also serious and growing threats to the steady progress made against malaria worldwide.

Support for Malaria Control and Elimination

Preventing and controlling malaria remains a U.S. national-security and foreign-assistance priority. Reducing malaria enables governments, civil society, faith-based organizations, and the private sector in USAID partner countries to unlock economic growth and realize greater human potential, paving the way to self-reliance and fostering productive partnerships with the United States. USAID works closely with the governments of malaria endemic countries to strengthen their capacity to prevent and treat the disease. USAID leads the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), which is co-implemented with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. PMI now has 27 programs across sub-Saharan Africa and the Greater Mekong Subregion in Asia. USAID also supports malaria control efforts in Burundi as well as malaria control and elimination in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Learn more about USAID’s malaria programs:

• Countries
• Technical Areas
• Research and Innovation
• U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative

USAID's leadership against malaria does more than save lives and protect the people most vulnerable to disease. USAID investments promote the economic growth and stability of communities and nations, while advancing American prosperity and security.

Working with Global Partners

USAID engages with global partners through multi-stakeholder forums such as the RBM Partnership to End Malaria and works closely with bilateral and multi-donor partners such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. USAID also invests in research and development of malaria vaccines and new antimalarial drugs and insecticide-based mosquito control tools.