70% of Malaria Deaths Strike Children under Five
282 Million Cases, over Half a Million Lives Lost in 2024 Alone
9 in 10 Malaria Deaths Happen in Africa
Just before World Malaria Day, the World Health Organisation (WHO) approved the first malaria treatment made specifically for newborns and infants who weigh less than 5 kilograms (2.2 pounds).
For years, babies have received malaria drugs meant for older children, which put them at risk of wrong doses and side effects.
This new medicine, a mix of artemether and lumefantrine, now fills a major care gap for the 30 million babies born each year in areas where malaria is common.
This breakthrough is especially important because children under five are still the most at risk, making up nearly 70% of malaria deaths worldwide.
Malaria also harms pregnancies each year, causing about 10,000 maternal deaths, 200,000 stillbirths, and more than half a million low-birth-weight babies.
With WHO’s approval, countries can now allow the use of this drug without running their own large clinical trials. UN agencies can also start buying and sending it to regions in need.
This speeds up access to lifesaving treatment in sub-Saharan Africa, where most malaria cases and deaths happen.
“Malaria has stolen children from their parents for centuries,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “But today, the story is changing. With new vaccines, diagnostic tools, mosquito nets, and medicines adapted for the youngest, we are turning the tide.”
Even with global progress that has prevented 14 million deaths since 2000, malaria is still a major problem.
In 2024 alone, there were 282 million cases and more than half a million deaths. The WHO’s new approval marks an important step in protecting vulnerable people from one of the world’s oldest diseases.