Malaria Vaccine Development Program

Global Problem

There are more than 300-500 million episodes of malaria each year, causing more than 2 million deaths, mostly in children. Non-fatal malaria imposes an enormous economic burden of illness, which has a major impact on the affected communities. Malaria costs more than $1.7 billion each year in medical care and lost productivity. However, available methods to prevent and treat malaria are inadequate: the mosquitoes that transmit the disease have become resistant to insecticides and the parasites that cause malaria have become resistant to the treatment drugs. New technologies are urgently needed. Economic analyses have concluded that the benefits from an effective malaria vaccine would far outweigh the anticipated costs of research and development and continuing implementation.

The Opportunity
USAID Accomplishments
Current Focus