Ethiopia has reported over 7.3 million malaria cases and 1,157 deaths between January 1 and October 20, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). This marks the highest annual case count in the past seven years, driven primarily by bites from infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
The WHO’s recent disease outbreak report highlighted the various ways malaria can spread, including through blood transfusions, organ transplants, and the use of contaminated needles or syringes. Additionally, the disease can be transmitted from a mother to her child during pregnancy or childbirth.
Malaria continues to be a major public health challenge in Ethiopia, where roughly 75% of the country’s land is considered endemic to the disease. The WHO report emphasized that approximately 69% of the population in these areas is at risk of malaria, with periodic outbreaks contributing to up to 20% of all deaths among children under the age of five.
The report, dated October 31 and shared on social media platform X, stresses the ongoing threat of malaria in Ethiopia, underlining the need for sustained efforts to control the disease. Despite the availability of preventive measures, such as insecticide-treated nets and antimalarial drugs, malaria remains a leading cause of illness and death in the country.
Health authorities continue to push for stronger prevention strategies, including improved access to healthcare, widespread use of insecticide-treated nets, and greater awareness of malaria’s transmission routes, in an effort to combat the disease and reduce its impact on vulnerable populations, particularly children.
