Ending malaria is an African development priority
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- 26 minutes ago
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As Africa marks Africa Month and reflects on the ambitions of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, malaria experts are calling for malaria elimination to be viewed not only as a public health challenge, but as a critical development priority that will shape the continent’s resilience and future growth.
Despite decades of progress, malaria continues to place significant pressure on African economies, education systems, and healthcare infrastructure. According to the WHO World Malaria Report 2025, Africa still carries the overwhelming majority of the global malaria burden, with children under five and vulnerable communities most affected.
Beyond the immediate health impacts, repeated malaria infections continue to disrupt livelihoods, reduce productivity, and affect long-term educational outcomes across endemic countries. Adults often miss work multiple times a year due to illness, while children lose valuable school days, impacting learning and future opportunities.
“The persistence of malaria in Tanzania specifically points to deeper needs. Firstly, for new tools, and secondly for approaches shaped through African leadership and equitable international partnership, where responsibility, expertise, and long-term commitment are genuinely shared, while ensuring innovation remains aligned to local realities.” says Dr. Dickson Wilson Lwetoijera, Programme Director of the Transmission Zero Programme at Ifakara Health Institute (IHI).
“If we are serious about inclusive growth and sustainable development, then malaria elimination must remain a continental priority alongside continued investment in leading African scientific institutions.”
In Tanzania, institutions such as the Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) and the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) are contributing to scientific research, local infrastructure development, and skills advancement aimed at strengthening long-term malaria control efforts."
While tools such as insecticide-treated bed nets, indoor spraying, and effective medicines have saved millions of lives, growing challenges such as insecticide and drug resistance mean that continued innovation remains essential.
The growing scientific capabilities in countries like Tanzania reflects a broader shift across the continent, where African researchers and institutions are increasingly shaping health innovation through scientific leadership, regional and international collaboration, and investment in expertise and infrastructure. Science, technology, and innovation are becoming central to Africa’s long-term development agenda.
“The future of malaria elimination in Africa should not be decided for Africa,” says George K. Christophides, Co-Director of Transmission Zero, and Professor of Infectious Diseases and Immunity, Imperial College London.
“Africa should not only be where new public health technologies are tested and implemented. It should be where innovation is developed, governed, and advanced through strong African institutions working in equitable global partnership and shared long-term stewardship.”
Dr. Lwetoijera also stressed that future malaria solutions must continue to be guided by strong governance, local regulatory oversight, and community engagement.
Africa stands at a pivotal moment. The ambition of Agenda 2063 is within reach, but it will depend on the choices made today - about where to invest, what to prioritise, and who leads.
About Transmission Zero
Transmission Zero is an international research programme working to develop innovative genetic tools to help eliminate malaria in Africa. By genetically modifying mosquitoes to block the malaria parasite from being passed to humans, the programme aims to stop malaria transmission at its source. Led by Imperial College London in partnership with the Ifakara Health Institute, the National Institute for Medical Research (Tanzania), and Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Transmission Zero is committed to advancing African-led science that is safe, equitable, and designed in close collaboration with communities. The programme is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.