The Brazilian Government launches National Plan for the Elimination of Malaria

The Brazilian government launched the National Malaria Elimination Plan with the aim of reducing the number of local malaria cases to less than 68,000 by 2025, and the number of deaths to zero by 2030, as well as eliminating the disease in Brazil by 2035.

According to the WHO, despite malaria’s decreasing morbidity and mortality in previous years, around 241 million cases have been reported in 85 countries in 2020, compared to 227 million in 2019. In 2020, malaria caused about 627,000 deaths, an increase of 12% compared to 2019.

In Brazil, about 99.9% of transmissions occur in the Amazon Region, 80% of which in 33 cities. In 2021, over 137.8 cases have been reported. The Brazilian government is investing in treatment, pest control and technical support to cities and states, while also training personnel.

The Elimination Plan will work through the Brazilian Unified Health System, based on free diagnosis and treatment, decentralized actions for diagnostic and wide coverage treatment, besides making use of online information systems, multi sector partnerships and research networks.