On Saturday, World Malaria Day arrived not just as a date on the calendar but as a reckoning with a disease that has plagued the world for centuries.
Malaria, a mosquito-borne illness caused by parasites, is marked by recurring episodes of chills, fever and profuse sweating. Left untreated, it can lead to anemia, organ damage and even death.
Fight far from over
Despite decades of global efforts, malaria remains a major global infectious disease. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 282-million cases and 610 000 deaths were recorded across 80 countries in 2024. The burden falls overwhelmingly on Africa, which accounts for roughly 95% of both cases and fatalities – a stark reminder that the fight is far from over.
China’s battle against malaria reflects its spirit of determination. Through sustained national efforts spanning more than seven decades, the country reduced malaria from around 30-million cases in the 1940s to zero, according to the WHO.
Discovery of artemisinin
The same battle reflects the country’s resourcefulness. In the 1960s, resistance to existing treatments, primarily chloroquine (CQ), left millions vulnerable, according to Xinhua News Agency and US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The discovery of artemisinin by Chinese scientists was more than a breakthrough. In the words of Tu Youyou during her 2015 Nobel Prize acceptance speech, artemisinin was “a gift from Traditional Chinese Medicine to the world.”
Since 2000, artemisinin-based combination therapies have been recommended by WHO as the first-line treatment for malaria, saving millions of lives globally each year.
Holistic approach
China’s transformation is built not on a single breakthrough but on a holistic approach on a national scale. The launch of the National Malaria Elimination Action Plan (2010–2020) set clear milestones, and the country was certified as malaria-free by WHO in 2021.
Today, China is sharing its experience beyond its borders. Through partnerships, training programs and medical support, China is working with countries across Africa and other developing regions to help them build the resources and skills for malaria prevention and control.
Malaria control centers
In January 2023, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) headquarters was inaugurated in Ethiopia, marking the continent’s first modern public health center. China has also helped establish specialised malaria control centers in over 30 countries, including Comoros and Cameroon. Advanced laboratories are being built and early warning systems enhanced in nations such as São Tomé and Príncipe with China’s assistance.
Carried on the fragile wings of a mosquito, malaria has cast a long shadow over humanity for centuries. But as science advances and international cooperation deepens, the vision of ending malaria and the promise of a healthier future for all come into clearer view.
- Malaria remains a major global health issue in 2024, with 282 million cases and 610,000 deaths, predominantly in Africa, which accounts for 95% of cases and fatalities.
- China eradicated malaria nationally after reducing cases from 30 million in the 1940s to zero by 2021, through a comprehensive, multi-decade public health effort.
- The discovery of artemisinin by Chinese scientists in the 1960s revolutionized malaria treatment and continues to save millions of lives worldwide as WHO’s first-line therapy.
- China supports global malaria control by sharing expertise, establishing malaria control centers in over 30 countries, and aiding Africa CDC’s new public health headquarters in Ethiopia.
- Progress in malaria prevention is aided by advanced laboratories, early warning systems, and international cooperation, fostering hope for eventual global malaria elimination.
