Administration of Joseph R. Biden, Jr., 2023

April 25, 2023

No one should fear losing someone they loveâa child, a parent, a partnerâbecause of a mosquito bite. The United States eliminated malaria in our country in 1951, yet for too many people around the world, that fear remains part of daily life. Malaria still threatens more than half the global population and claims the life of a child nearly every minute. And as climate change leads to rising temperatures, new areas will become vulnerable to malaria in the coming decades. Today, on World Malaria Day, we recommit to ending the disease worldwide.

Thanks to the generosity of the American people and the strong and sustained bipartisan leadership on this issue in Congress, the United States and our global partners have helped save more than 11.7 million lives and prevent 2 billion malaria infections around the world, strengthening families, communities, and nations. In FY 2022, the President's Malaria Initiative provided an estimated $33 million to support approximately 100,000 community health workers through training and supervision, equipment, and in some countries, payment. And we are working closely with public and private partners to support local manufacturing of mosquito nets and malaria medicines, which will help to save lives while building more sustainable health systems and spurring economic growth.

We have made incredible gains, but we must do more to eliminate this disease for everyone, everywhere. I am proud that the President's Malaria Initiativeâwhich supports U.S. efforts of 27 nations across Africa and Southeast Asiaâis adding three new partners: Burundi, the Gambia, and Togo. This will help bring lifesaving tools and treatments to more people in need. My FY 2024 budget includes an increase in our ongoing support for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which is accelerating efforts to roll out a new malaria vaccine. And through the success of the recent replenishment conference for the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, which the United States hosted last year, we raised the largest amount ever for the Global Fund, which will save tens of millions of lives from these three diseases.

We canâand we willâend malaria. And together, we will build a more healthy, secure, and prosperous world for future generations.

Categories: Statements by the President : World Malaria Day.

Subjects: Global Fund To fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria; Bipartisanship; Climate change; Experimental drugs and therapies; Fiscal year 2024 budget proposal; Health care services and infrastructure in developing countries, international assistance; Malaria Initiative, President's; World Malaria Day.

DCPD Number: DCPD202300331.

1