Associated Press: WHO: Malaria reductions stall after progress
“The World Health Organization says progress in reducing the number of people contracting malaria has stalled after several years of global declines…” (11/19).

Devex: World Malaria Report 2018: 3 critical questions
“…There were 219 million cases of malaria in 2017, up from 217 million in 2016, according to the ‘World Malaria Report‘ released Tuesday by the World Health Organization…” (Ravelo, 11/19).

New York Times: The Fight Against Malaria Has Reached a Standstill
“…Without openly criticizing any particular country, officials made it clear that some are doing too little to protect their citizens. ‘The past year has seen lights and shadows,’ said Dr. Pedro L. Alonso, the WHO’s malaria program director. … Donor governments, Dr. Alonso said, must double what they now give if they hope to push new infection rates down fast enough to meet targets for 2030 set by the United Nations. … But donors have complained that some countries have become too dependent and must spend more of their own money…” (McNeil, 11/19).

Reuters: Faltering malaria fight should refocus on high-risk countries, says WHO
“…The [new WHO ‘high burden to high impact‘ response] plan, involves making better use of detailed data to target areas where bednets or more widespread use of indoor spraying would have a greater impact. Protection for pregnant women and children from malaria also remained too low, the report found. ‘We recognize we have to do something different — now,’ WHO’s Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said…” (Kelland, 11/19).

U.N. News: U.N. health agency launches action plan as global malaria cases rise
“…Although India — which represents four percent of the global malaria burden — showed progress in reducing the disease (a drop of almost a quarter), cases in the African countries rose by 3.5 million compared to the previous year. A positive note was struck in Paraguay, which has this year been certified as malaria free, the first country in the Americas to receive this status in 45 years: the number of countries nearing elimination has now grown from 37 to 46, and three countries — Algeria, Argentina, and Uzbekistan — have requested official malaria-free certification from WHO…” (11/19).