By: Dr. Nzuzi Katondi, WHO Malaria Officer

Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can. Now We Must.

25 April 2026, Pretoria | On this World Malaria Day, the World Health Organization in South Africa, joins the Department of Health reaffirming a shared commitment to end malaria as a public health threat.

In the far north-east of South Africa, malaria once returned quietly with every rainy season. Communities in border areas of KwaZulu-Natal, close to Mozambique and Eswatini, faced recurring fever, illness and uncertainty. For frontline health workers, it was often difficult to predict which villages would be affected next.

Today, that picture is changing.

Praia, Cabo Verde. WHO technical experts convened to advance a training package for health district management teams, with active contributions from Cabo Verde and a strong focus on primary health care, integrated service delivery and progress towards Universal Health Coverage.

Ruacana, Omusati Region – Namibia used the commemoration of World Malaria Day 2026 to renew its commitment to ending malaria, with strong calls for urgent action, stronger community engagement, domestic investment, and regional collaboration to reverse the recent resurgence of malaria cases. 

Gaborone, Botswana, 24 April 2026 – Botswana has taken another step towards strengthening disease surveillance and response through a meeting of the Pandemic Fund Laboratory Workstream, convened by the Botswana Public Health Institute (BPHI) in collaboration with the WHO Country Office.

WHO technical experts convened to advance a training package for health district management teams, with active contributions from Cabo Verde and a strong focus on primary health care, integrated service delivery and progress towards Universal Health Coverage.

Strong leadership from the Omusati Governor and Regional Council is driving a more intense regional response to the malaria outbreak, as political leaders, health authorities, communities, faith-based organisations, and development partners unite to take urgent action to reduce illness and prevent further deaths.

Nairobi - World Health Organization (WHO) is poised to be a significant presence at the upcoming World Health Summit (WHS) Regional Meeting 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya. For the first time at either a global or regional level, WHO is co-organizing a meeting with the World Health Summit. This initiative has been spearheaded by WHO in the African region and is the result of an innovative partnership with WHS and Aga Khan University, Kenya.