Leave No Fever Unresolved: Report highlights links between malaria and global health security

On behalf of Malaria No More UK, Malaria No More, and the UN Foundation we are pleased to share a new report: Leave No Fever Unresolved: The malaria pathway to end this pandemic - and prevent the next.

Drawing on evidence from around the world, the report highlights the links between malaria and global health security, providing a clear case for increased investment in malaria programmes as a scalable, stress-tested and cost-effective way to strengthen health security and prevent future pandemics, as well as revitalising progress against this deadly, preventable disease.

COVID-19 is unlikely to be the last pandemic of this generation, or perhaps even this decade. At the same time malaria, one of the world’s oldest and deadliest diseases, continues to have a devastating impact on lives and livelihoods. This report argues that building on the community health systems established for the malaria response is the quickest, most cost-effective solution, not only to revitalise progress against malaria, but also to address the present threat of COVID-19 and broader health security challenges facing humankind.

To realise this opportunity, we call on the UK Government to:

• Maintain UK investment in malaria – to tackle fever and prevent a devastating, widespread resurgence – by renewing the Government’s commitment to spend £500 million per annum fighting this deadly disease.

• Scale up support for community health systems in lower-income countries as a shared health security priority, recognising the vital role of malaria programmes in strengthening key capacities and building trust.

By urgently investing now, to step-up the malaria fight and provide a pressure-tested platform to ensure no fever remains undiagnosed, untreated, or unreported, we can equip ourselves to address the current and future health security challenges that otherwise put us all at risk. 

The full report, and a short summary brief for UK advocacy, are available here.

Image credit: Malaria volunteers deliver information on COVID-19 in Zambia for MAMaZ Against Malaria at Scale. With kind permission transaid.org