03.05.2020
Swiss Malaria Group: World Malaria Day 2020

Swiss Malaria Group (SMG) This year's World Malaria Day on April 25 was marked by major advances in the fight against malaria, with more than 7 million lives saved and over 1 billion cases prevented in the last two decades.

At the same time, COVID-19 threatens this progress and immediate action is required to save lives. Based on a model calculation from the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), the COVID-19 crisis will lead to an additional 105,000 malaria deaths this year, predominantly children.

The Swiss Malaria Group therefore calls for global action against COVID-19 to protect health systems and ensure they continue to function for the population. At the same time, these measures must not restrict access to life-saving prevention, diagnosis and treatment of major diseases such as HIV and malaria, nor slow down the progress gained over the years. This is why Switzerland's commitment is central. (Photo: Anna Surinyach for Swiss Malaria Group)