Malaria is a devastating disease. Forty per cent of the world’s populations, 3.2 billion people in 107 countries, are at risk of contracting malaria. We have the tools to prevent and treat malaria, yet each year it is estimated to cause up to 500 million cases and up to 3 million deaths. Of those deaths, large proportion is of children under age five in Sub-Saharan Africa. Malaria disproportionately affects the most vulnerable, and the majority of countries affected are also amongst the poorest countries in the world. It is now accepted that malaria must be tackled urgently and intensively, and that endemic countries, the international community and the private sector must make a concerted effort to tackle malaria. If this happens, the prize (in terms of lives saved, morbidity avoided, and increased economic growth for countries affected) will be enormous. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) cannot be met without increased resources for all aspects of malaria control, including treatment, prevention, strengthening health systems, developing new tools for prevention, diagnosis and treatment and research on the best ways to deliver effective interventions

Report of the All Party Parliamentary Malaria Group (APPMG); 2006