The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has warned that a sharp decline in international aid—particularly from the United States—could trigger a significant increase in malaria-related deaths this year, especially among children.
Speaking at the launch of the annual report, Executive Director Peter Sands said funding cuts have severely undermined the availability of essential prevention and treatment tools, allowing the disease to spread more rapidly.
Preliminary analysis suggests there could be over 100,000 additional deaths in 2025, while Sands voiced concern that the funding shortfall could also have long-term consequences for scientific research.
Malaria already claims around 600,000 lives annually in Africa alone, mostly among children and pregnant women. The Global Fund is seeking to raise $18 billion by the end of this year to sustain and scale up its efforts against the disease.
