25 April, World Malaria Day: France continuing its work [fr]
After years of steady decline, the numbers of malaria cases are once again increasing. Pregnant women and children are the hardest hit, and malaria still kills almost one child every minute. Almost half of the world’s population live in regions with a risk of malaria transmission.
Despite encouraging progress, considerable challenges remain. In 2020, 241 million* new malaria infections were diagnosed, 14 million more than the previous year. The disease caused 627,000* deaths, 95% of which were in sub-Saharan Africa.
France is working with its multilateral partners in the fight against malaria
France is making an active contribution to multilateral financing in order to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG3 - “To ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”) and to end pandemics.
France is the second-largest contributor to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
The Global Fund was created in 2002 on the initiative of France, the European Union and the G7. It pools the financial contributions of over 60 countries, as well as private and non-governmental stakeholders. The Fund’s work in fighting AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria has helped save 38 million lives.
The Global Fund in figures
- The Global Fund provides 63% of all international financing for malaria programmes;
- In June 2022, the Global Fund allocated over $16.4 billion* to programmes to fight malaria in about 100 countries;
- France is its second-largest contributor;
- In 2021, the Global Fund enabled 34 million children to receive seasonal malaria chemoprevention, distributed 133 million* insecticide-treated mosquito nets and treated 148 million* cases of malaria.
The Global Fund does not have direct representation in countries; it finances local structures to implement the grants it is awarded.
The Global Fund is currently the main resource mobilization mechanism to fight pandemics in developing countries, providing 20% of total funding for AIDS, 69% for tuberculosis and 65% for malaria.
Immunization pilot projects
Since 2021, the World Health Organization has recommended using the RTS,S malaria vaccine. Drawing on existing clinical data, the Global Fund, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and Unitaid have funded routine immunization pilot projects in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi. These pilot projects recorded a 30% drop in serious forms of malaria in regions where insecticide-treated mosquito nets are widely used and where there is good access to malaria diagnosis and treatment.
France is a founding member of and the leading donor to Unitaid
Unitaid’s mission is to develop innovative solutions to prevent, diagnose and treat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, as well as their co-infections, more quickly, cheaply and effectively. Unitaid is seeking innovative solutions to speed up fair access to new treatments and diagnostic tests.
Unitaid in figures
- Between 2017 and 2021, the products and approaches developed by Unitaid have prevented 560,000 deaths and 17 million cases of infections;
- Unitaid’s dedicated malaria projects reached $400 million in 2020. Its work involves preventive treatment, vaccines, protecting against disease vectors and strengthening diagnosis and treatment;
- France is a founding member and leading donor of Unitaid.
*Source: The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria