Malaria is an invisible disease that kills nearly half a million people every year. Most are children under five living in Sub-Saharan Africa. Malaria is invisible to the developed world as it disappeared from most countries 50 years ago, yet malaria still exists and it is ready to strike back.

Malaria is a symbol of our incapacity to cope with global development challenges.

How can we explain why a disease that can be perfectly diagnosed, prevented and cured is still endemic in many countries? Is it because of our lack of scientific knowledge? Our lack of political willingness and financial commitment? Our lack of understanding and awareness?

Being invisible, malaria, nowadays, is left in the hands of committed doctors and researchers, community workers and volunteers who fight the disease on a daily basis. This is not enough. All the key challenges facing mankind remain hidden behind malaria.

Education, health, poverty, climate change, income inequality, economic growth, gender equality – many of the sustainable development goals are challenged by the presence and persistence of malaria.

We all have a say in getting rid of malaria!

Quique Bassat, is a world-leading scientist on Malaria research and Head of ISGlobal’s Malaria Research Program (Barcelona, Spain).

Malaria, the invisible disease