Roll Back Malaria Partnership Restructures Secretariat
The World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledges the contributions of the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership to global progress against malaria. The partnership's governing board has recommended disbanding its secretariat amid restructuring efforts.
The Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership, established in 1998 to galvanize global action against the disease, is set to restructure to address post-2015 challenges. The partnership's governing board has recommended disbanding the current RBM secretariat, hosted by the WHO in Geneva, due to ongoing restructuring and financial difficulties.
Over its 17-year history, RBM has contributed to a significant decrease in the global malaria burden. Over 6 million deaths, primarily among children under five in sub-Saharan Africa, were averted. The Millennium Development Goal target of halting and beginning to reverse malaria incidence by 2015 has been met, with RBM playing a key role in consensus-building, resource mobilization, and catalyzing action.
Despite progress, malaria remains a major public health challenge. In 2015, there were over 200 million cases and more than 400,000 deaths worldwide. Approximately 3 billion people in 97 countries are still at risk, with the disease concentrated in low-income African nations.
As the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) era emerges, new approaches are being implemented. WHO's "Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030" and RBM's "Action and investment to defeat malaria 2016-2030" set ambitious targets, including a 90% reduction in global malaria incidence and mortality. Achieving these goals will require tripled global funding and new structures to engage stakeholders.