Health experts in Africa are warning that the sharp increase in malaria cases and deaths across the continent could reverse years of progress in the fight against the mosquito-borne illness.
According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Zimbabwe and Botswana are among the countries in Southern Africa experiencing the highest surges, while Ethiopia has recorded the highest number of new cases continent-wide.
Between January and June 2025, Zimbabwe reported 111,998 malaria cases and 310 deaths, up from 29,031 cases and 49 deaths during the same period last year. Botswana has also been severely affected, recording 2,223 cases and 11 deaths compared with 218 cases and no fatalities in 2024.
Africa CDC data show that the continent recorded 246 million cases, with several countries experiencing significant surges between 2022 and 2023. Ethiopia alone reported an estimated 4.5 million additional cases.
Director General of Africa CDC, Dr Jean Kaseya, said the preventable and treatable disease killed nearly 600,000 people in Africa, accounting for 95% of global malaria deaths.
“What alarms us the most is not just the scale of the disease, it is that malaria is spreading into previously non-endemic regions or countries that had a low disease burden,” Dr Kaseya said.
“These trends highlight the urgent need for cross-border coordination, enhanced surveillance, and targeted vector control to prevent further escalation. The threat is evolving. Our response must evolve with it.
“One of the most worrying developments is the emergence of partial resistance to artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), our first line of defense against malaria. Studies in Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda confirm rising resistance. This threat could erode decades of medical progress and lead to higher mortality unless it is quickly contained through improved genomic surveillance, evidence-based drug policies, and strict treatment adherence.”
Dr Kaseya also highlighted that the resurgence of malaria is being amplified by climate-related changes and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted routine health services and diverted resources.
He called on African countries to strengthen research to better understand patterns of drug resistance and parasite mutations.
“Insecticide-treated nets, indoor spraying, and seasonal chemoprevention efforts have stalled or regressed in several regions. Funding gaps have widened. And although we now have two approved malaria vaccines, RTS,S/AS01 and R21/Matrix-M, countries in southern Africa that are currently reporting outbreaks have yet to introduce them,” he said.
“Timely detection and responses are hindered by several persistent challenges. These include limited diagnostic capacity at the community level, under-reporting because of weak health information systems, and inconsistent data quality across regions.
“These challenges are compounded by shortages of trained personnel and limited integration of real-time data into decision-making processes. Africa must digitise and modernise how we detect and respond to outbreaks by using platforms like DHIS2 and enhanced Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response, starting with primary healthcare centers that are accessible to the community.”
Support CITE’s fearless, independent journalism. Your donation helps us amplify community voices, fight misinformation, and hold power to account. Help keep the truth alive. Donate today