The 2025 WHO World Malaria Report has now been released, providing the most comprehensive assessment to date of global malaria trends, challenges, and emerging biological threats. Drawing on data from 80 endemic countries, the report offers a detailed picture of the state of malaria control and elimination efforts, and the outlook is sobering.
While the world has made extraordinary progress since 2000, the report makes it clear that we remain far off track for meeting the WHO Global Technical Strategy (GTS) 2030 targets. A combination of drug resistance, surveillance gaps, climate shocks, conflict, and declining development assistance is reshaping the global malaria landscape in ways that demand urgent, smarter and more coordinated action.
At Arctech Innovation, we welcome the clarity this report provides. We have been deeply involved across multiple aspects of global preparedness, including:
Supporting WHO investigation teams in malaria outbreak settings
Advising the UK Government on mosquito-borne disease strategy
Partnering with Wellcome to convene global experts and generate actionable recommendations
Delivering advanced vector biology training and public health education worldwide
Developing new tools for detection, monitoring and integrated vector management.
The report shows that malaria morbidity and mortality remain unacceptably high, with progress largely stalled in the highest-burden regions.
Key observations include:
Continued heavy concentration of cases in the WHO African Region
Persistent high transmission in several HBHI (High Burden to High Impact) countries
Ongoing disruption to malaria programmes due to conflict, climate events and funding reductions.
Global development assistance for health has fallen sharply between 2024 and 2025, with major donors scaling back contributions. This shift threatens to further undermine access to prevention, diagnosis, treatment and surveillance with children and vulnerable populations disproportionately affected.
A dedicated chapter in this year’s report examines the growing threat of antimalarial drug resistance across Africa and Asia.
Key findings:
Health leaders at the 2025 World Health Assembly called for urgent coordinated action
WHO has released new guidance on Multiple First-Line Therapies (MFT) to delay resistance
Increasing pfhrp2 gene deletions are undermining the accuracy of HRP2-based rapid diagnostic tests
The expansion of Anopheles stephensi continues to increase the risk of urban malaria.
These findings highlight the need for new tools, better surveillance, and more robust data systems.
In 2024–2025, dozens of malaria-endemic countries experienced humanitarian crises, climate events or system disruptions that directly heightened malaria risk.
Updated WHO guidance, including a new field manual for malaria control in emergencies, underscores the importance of preparedness, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected settings.
The report highlights significant advances, including:
The launch of WHO’s updated operational strategy (2024–2030)
The Yaoundé Declaration; a renewed commitment from 11 African nations
Expansion of consolidated malaria guidelines in four languages
Approval of new insecticides for IRS (chlorfenapyr, isocycloseram)
New recommendations on spatial emanators
Up to eight more African countries preparing to introduce malaria vaccines
A target of 10+ million children vaccinated annually across Africa.
These advances provide new momentum but only if matched by sustained investment and strong implementation.
The 2025 report reinforces several core priorities for global malaria control:
Stronger, climate-informed surveillance systems
Faster outbreak detection and response
Smarter vector management and insecticide resistance strategies
More resilient supply chains and diagnostics
Sustained investment in innovation and R&D.
At Arctech Innovation, our work directly aligns with these needs.
Our teams contribute expert vector surveillance, behavioural science insight and operational support during WHO-led investigations, improving detection and informing targeted response.
We support national risk assessments, horizon-scanning and policy planning, including recent work with the UK Government.
Our joint workshop brought together global leaders to strengthen preparedness for mosquito-borne diseases resulting in a set of practical, actionable recommendations now informing policy discussions.
Our MSc programmes, online courses and global training initiatives equip public health teams with the skills needed to detect, monitor and manage vector-borne disease threats.
We are developing tools that:
Improve early detection of vector activity
Leverage insect behaviour for smarter surveillance
Strengthen integrated vector management
Provide low-cost, scalable monitoring solutions.
These innovations align with WHO’s evolving operational strategy and the report’s emphasis on new tools and smarter systems.
The 2025 World Malaria Report makes it clear: Malaria is at a crossroads.
To meet global targets and protect vulnerable communities, we need:
Strong political leadership
Renewed investment
Better tools
Stronger data systems
Close partnership across sectors, borders and disciplines.
At Arctech Innovation, we believe no one should die from a preventable disease. We remain committed to advancing science, technology, and capacity-building to strengthen malaria preparedness worldwide.