Malaria deaths drop but future still uncertain

Malaria mortality rates have fallen by more than 25% globally since 2000, and by 33% in the WHO African Region, according to the World Malaria Report 2011, issued by the World Health Organization. WHO warns that a projected shortfall in funding threatens the fragile gains and that the double challenge of emerging drug and insecticide resistance needs to be proactively addressed. “We are making significant progress in battling a major public health problem. Coverage of at-risk populations with malaria prevention and control measures  increased again in 2010, and resulted in a further decline in estimated malaria cases and deaths,” says Dr. Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General. “But there are worrisome signs that suggest progress might slow.” During the past decade, malaria incidence and mortality rates have been cut in all regions of the world, according to the World Malaria Report 2011. In 2010, there were an estimated 216 million cases of malaria in...