Malaria Prevalence in West Africa

Written by: Jenelle Smith

Edited by: Kirie Frederick, Ray Zhang, and Hilal Tokat

October 2025 Release

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Malaria is an infectious disease that disproportionately has a high prevalence in Sub-Saharan Africa. According to the World Health Organization, it has been recorded that 94 percent of global malaria deaths occur in Africa, and West African countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, and Sierra Leone face the highest burden (World Health Organization). Malaria is a life-threatening illness caused by the Plasmodium parasites, transmitted by the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Despite the significant progress being made in prevention and treatment, it has been documented that over 600,000 malaria-related deaths are reported annually in Africa alone (World Health Organization). This reflects the ongoing gap in healthcare access and resource distribution, making malaria a medical crisis and a symbol of global health inequality.

West Africa’s tropical and wet climate creates ideal conditions for the transmission of mosquitoes and parasitic diseases. Additionally, environmental factors, including high rainfall, stagnant water, and poor sanitary conditions, impact the spread of diseases throughout the year (Omumbo et al.). Beyond the ecological conditions, the socioeconomic factors play a critical role in the prevalence of diseases. Due to high rates of individuals in poverty, access to clinics, diagnostic testing, and preventive measures such as insecticide-treated bed nets and antimalarial medications is limited. Moreover, the rural areas in Nigeria, Liberia, and Guinea lack reliable healthcare infrastructure, forcing many individuals to rely heavily on self-treatment or herbal remedies. While these remedies play an important cultural role, many of them have limited research supporting their effectiveness in treating malaria. (Anjorin et al.). 

Antimalarial drug resistance is a rising threat to malaria control efforts. Drug resistance occurs when Plasmodium parasites mutate, which allows them to survive treatments that once eliminated them. Artemisinin combination therapies,  which are the recommended treatment protocol for uncomplicated malaria globally, are the current standard of care but have begun to show reduced efficacy in some African regions (Ashley et al). This setback can counteract decades of progress if not addressed. The spread of resistant parasites is a threat to both individual health outcomes and public health. Ongoing research and investment in new drugs and vaccines are vital to addressing this crisis. Recently, there have been developments in antimalarial medications such as KAF156, which targets the resistant strain of Plasmodium. Additionally, vaccines such as R21, RTS, and S are being tested to help reduce malaria infections and deaths.

The high amount of malaria cases in West Africa compared to the rest of the world highlights an ethical divide between countries with resources versus those with limited resources. For instance, while malaria transmission in the United States has been reduced since 1951 and only about 2,000 travel-related cases are reported each year, West African countries such as Nigeria and Sierra Leone continue to experience hundreds of thousands of infections annually due to limited access to medical care and prevention tools (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; World Health Organization). This contrast highlights how unequal healthcare infrastructure and resource availability deepen global health inequities.

 Millions of individuals continue to suffer from malaria despite the availability of effective prevention and treatment, highlighting the effects of an underfunded healthcare system and unequal access to medical treatment. The World Health Organization’s “High Burden to High Impact” initiative focuses on countries such as Nigeria and Ghana, encouraging progress through investments, data-driven decision-making, and community engagement (World Health Organization), aiming to address persistent inequities in access to preventive resources, healthcare infrastructure, and education. Malaria's dual impacts highlight the medical crisis and are symbolic of the global social and economic inequality across the world.

In conclusion, addressing malaria in West Africa requires improving healthcare systems, making preventive tools more accessible, and tackling the environmental and social factors that increase vulnerability. Furthermore, ongoing research into new antimalarial drugs, vaccines, and traditional herbal treatments (Noronha et al.) may provide long-term sustainable solutions. Additionally, increasing funding, continuing to educate communities about preventive care and methods, and ultimately expanding access to medical resources are crucial to reducing the impact of malaria. Ultimately, reducing the effect of malaria requires collaboration and advocacy globally to prioritize equity in healthcare and to protect the most vulnerable populations. 

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References

[1] Anjorin, S., et al. “Malaria Profile and Socioeconomic Predictors among Under-Five Children in 11 Sub-Saharan African Countries.” Malaria Journal, 2023, https://malariajournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12936-023-04484-8.

[2] Ashley, E. A., et al. “Antimalarial Drug Resistance in Africa: The Calm Before the Storm.” The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 2019, https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(19)30261-0/fulltext.

[3] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Data and Statistics on Malaria in the United States. CDC, 27 May 2025, www.cdc.gov/malaria/php/surveillance-report/index.html.

[4] National Center for Biotechnology Information. “KAF156 Is an Antimalarial Clinical Candidate with Potential for Use in Prophylaxis, Treatment, and Prevention of Disease Transmission.” PubMed Central, U.S. National Library of Medicine, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12293666.

[5] New York State Department of Health. “Malaria Fact Sheet.” New York State Department of Health, https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/malaria/fact_sheet.htm.

[6] Noronha, Monica, Vishakha Pawar, Anil Prajapati, and R. B. Subramanian. “A Literature Review on Traditional Herbal Medicines for Malaria.” South African Journal of Botany, vol. 128, 2020, pp. 292–303. ScienceDirect, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2019.11.017.

[7] Omumbo, J., et al. “Climate Variability and Malaria over West Africa.” Environmental Research Letters, 2020, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7204584/.