Invest in the future, defeat malaria

Over the last decade, the world has made major progress in the fight against malaria. Since 2000, malaria mortality rates have fallen by more than 25%, and 50 of the 99 countries with ongoing transmission are now on track to meet the 2015 World Health Assembly target of reducing incidence rates by more than 75%.
But we are not there yet. Malaria still kills an estimated 6,60,000 people worldwide. Every year, more than 200 million cases occur; most of these cases are never tested or registered. A recent plateauing of international funding has slowed down progress, and emerging drug and insecticide resistance threaten to reverse recent gains.
If the world is to maintain and accelerate progress against malaria, in line with MDG 6, and to ensure attainment of MDGs 4 and 5, more funds are urgently required.
With the theme "Invest in the future-defeat malaria", the day was observed on April 25 with campaign aiming to strengthen the political will across the world and help contribute to increase the funding needed to control malaria in endemic countries.