Malaria in Africa

Understanding the Burden, Challenges & MAMODEX Research Priorities

1. Disease Burden

Malaria remains a major public health challenge in Africa, accounting for:

  • 94% of global malaria cases (WHO 2022)
  • 96% of global malaria deaths
  • 80% of deaths in children under 5
  • Estimated $12 billion annual economic burden

2. Key Challenges

Major obstacles in malaria elimination include:

  • Insecticide resistance in mosquitoes
  • Antimalarial drug resistance
  • Climate change expanding vector habitats
  • Limited healthcare access in rural areas
  • Insufficient funding for malaria control programs

3. Current Interventions

Strategies currently being implemented:

  • Insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs)
  • Indoor residual spraying (IRS)
  • Seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC)
  • Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs)
  • Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs)

4. Research Priorities

MAMODEX is actively exploring:

  • New mosquito control methods
  • Monitoring drug resistance trends
  • Vaccine implementation research
  • Climate and vector modeling
  • Strengthening health systems

5. Regional Variations

Malaria transmission patterns vary by region:

  • West Africa: High year-round transmission
  • East Africa: Seasonal outbreaks
  • Southern Africa: Near elimination in some zones
  • Central Africa: Dense forest-related transmission

Access the latest research in our Publications Repository or contact us at research@mamodex.org.