LUSAKA – The United States joins the Zambian government and the global community in commemorating World Malaria Day 2020.  The U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), the U.S. Agency for International Development, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lead the U.S. government’s malaria response initiatives in Zambia.

With the world’s attention focused on the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States encourages everyone to continue working together to sustain the critical services that detect, prevent, and treat malaria.  While significant progress has been made to reduce illness and death from malaria in Zambia and worldwide, reports indicate this progress has slowed, with no global reductions in malaria infections between 2014 and 2018, and almost as many people dying of malaria in 2018 as did the year before. 

“While our global community responds to COVID-19, it is vital that we do not lose ground in the fight against malaria,” said the U.S. Embassy’s Chargé d'Affaires David Young.  “Without focused attention and collaboration, we run the risk of a dangerous spike in health complications and deaths associated with malaria.”

Since 2007, PMI has invested over $300 million to combat malaria nationwide in Zambia with a focus on five high malaria-burden provinces: Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Muchinga, and Northern.  These funds have provided 2.3 million insecticide-treated bednets and funded indoor residual spraying.  On behalf of the American people and the U.S. government, the funds have also helped provide 21 million rapid diagnostic tests and over 8.8 million life-saving malaria treatments to Zambians. 

In partnership with the Zambian government and its National Malaria Elimination Center, U.S. investments have helped decrease child death rates by 37 percent nationwide and overall malaria deaths by 76 percent since 2010 in PMI-focused provinces.  Additionally, PMI assistance has strengthened malaria case management at 387 health facilities and increased oversight capacity at Zambia’s district and provincial levels.  

The theme of World Malaria Day 2020 is “Zero Malaria Starts with Me.”  This grassroots campaign calls for individual action at all levels—from political leaders in charge of policy and budgets to communities advocating for indoor residual spraying and insecticide-treated bednets.  Everyone has a role to play in the malaria response, and it is only through collective action that positive change will continue.