Marking World Malaria Day 2024, the report “Blood: The Neglected Therapy in Malaria Management” sheds light on malaria’s devastating toll especially in the WHO African Region, which bears 94% of global cases and 95% of deaths. It highlights the critical yet often overlooked role of safe blood transfusions in treating severe malaria-induced anaemia, calling it a “silent yet deadly consequence of the disease.”

Amid stalled progress in global malaria control, the report calls for renewed investment in innovation, local manufacturing, robust surveillance, and community-led responses. Crucially, it demands that blood be recognized as an essential therapeutic tool stating that “no child should die from severe anaemia secondary to malaria or sickle cell disease.”

This is more than a health crisis, it’s a call for equity, resilience, and coordinated global action.