41 scientists, economists and health experts have revealed in a major report that the planet can be forever free of malaria – one of the oldest and deadliest diseases for humans – by the year 2050.
The World Health Organization previously concluded that it wouldn’t be possible to be rid of the disease, which has infected about 219 million people in 2017, anytime soon. But a new report on malaria eradication, commissioned by The Lancet medical journal, shows that with ambition, we can bid farewell to the mosquito-borne illness within one generation.
“For too long, malaria eradication has been a distant dream, but now we have evidence that malaria can and should be eradicated by 2050,” said Richard Feachem, co-chair of The Lancet commission and one of the report’s authors.
Martin Edlund, head of the Malaria No More campaign, adds, “If we double down on ending malaria now, the world will reap massive social, humanitarian and economic benefits and save millions of people from needlessly dying from mosquito bites.”
Experts say that to meet the goal of malaria eradication by 2050, new tools such as vaccines need to be developed, and existing ones including mosquito nets, medicines and insecticides should be used wisely. In addition, a global boost in investment of about $2 billion a year is crucial to fighting the disease.
