This World Malaria Day, we must protect and accelerate gains against malaria and leverage malaria investments to fight COVID-19 and other emerging diseases.

• ACCELERATING WITH URGENCY: Against the backdrop of the ongoing global pandemic, we must not jeopardize the gains made in fighting malaria over the past two decades. While we focus efforts to beat COVID-19 it cannot be at the expense of a losing ground against the world’s oldest killer which claimed between 150 million- 300 million lives in the 20th century alone  

• REALIZING SUCCESS IN ELIMINATION: Malaria elimination is possible. Investments in malaria benefit the health system and is critical to fighting current and future diseases. We have the tools to stop it. Many countries in Asia Pacific continue to stay on track – failure to eliminate malaria will jeopardize the unprecedented progress and investments made in the past decade. Eliminating malaria will mean more resources to confront other global health challenges 

• LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND: Malaria is increasingly a disease of poverty and inequity, with the most vulnerable facing the greatest risk. In Asia Pacific, malaria strikes hardest in vulnerable populations living largely in rural areas, with Papua New Guinea, India, Indonesia, Pakistan and Afghanistan holding the highest disease burden. Forest workers and migrant populations in the Greater Mekong Sub Region are also at risk; Focusing on reducing malaria cases and deaths among these populations is a critical step towards Regional elimination. 

• SECURING GLOBAL HEALTH: Ending endemic diseases like malaria support responses to pandemics like COVID-19. Further investments in ending malaria reduces the burden on health systems and increase capacity to prevent, detect and respond. Diseases do not respect borders. By working together, we can end malaria and overcome new threats to global public health.