The African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN) has called for renewed investment in scientific research, community-based prevention and accurate health communication as Africa continues to bear a heavy burden of malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases.
In a statement marking World Mosquito Day 2026, AMMREN Executive Secretary Dr. Charity Binka said the fight against malaria remains far from over despite significant advances in prevention and treatment.
According to the World Health Organization, Africa accounted for 94 percent of global malaria cases and 95 percent of malaria deaths in 2024, with children under five among the most affected.
Beyond malaria, mosquitoes also transmit other diseases, including dengue and yellow fever, posing an additional public health challenge across the continent.
Binka warned that growing insecticide resistance, changing environmental and climatic conditions, and the spread of invasive mosquito species are creating new challenges for disease-control programmes.
However, she said the development of malaria vaccines and improvements in mosquito-control measures provide new opportunities to reduce the burden of mosquito-borne diseases.
AMMREN has urged governments and development partners to sustain investment in research, surveillance and innovative disease-control measures.
The network also called for communities to be placed at the centre of prevention efforts and for stronger, evidence-based health communication to help the public understand and adopt effective measures against mosquito-borne diseases.
By Our Reporter