In many developing countries, and in Africa especially, malaria exacts an enormous toll in lives, in medical costs, and in days of labour lost. P.vivax, P.ovale, P.malariae. Of these, P.falciparum accounts for the majority of infections and is the most lethal.
Malaria is a curable disease if promptly and adequately treated.
The geographical area affected by malaria has shrunk considerably over the past 50 years, but control is becoming more difficult and gains are being eroded. Elsewhere, disintegration of health services, armed conflicts and mass movements of refugees worsen the malaria situation. Worldwide prevalence of the disease is estimated to be on the order of 300-500 million clinical cases each year. Mortality due to malaria is estimated to be in the range of 1.5 to 2.7 million deaths each year. The vast majority of deaths occur among young children in Africa, especially in remote rural areas with poor access to health services.