On Malaria Day in the Americas, PAHO urges countries to close access gaps in diagnosis and treatment to end malaria

Washington D.C., 6 November 2025 (PAHO) - On Malaria Day in the Americas, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) calls on countries, local leaders, and partners to step up action to ensure everyone at risk of malaria has access to timely diagnosis and treatment, particularly in remote and indigenous communities where the disease remains entrenched.

"Every malaria case is preventable and treatable," said Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO Director. "We have the tools to eliminate malaria, but this will only happen if health services and communities work together to make testing and treatment available to everyone, everywhere."

PAHO highlighted progress across the Region, noting that Suriname became the first country in the Amazon Basin to be certified malaria-free by the World Health Organization (WHO) this year, joining Paraguay (2018), Argentina (2019), El Salvador (2021), and Belize (2023). These milestones show that elimination is achievable when countries sustain commitment and community action, even in complex contexts.

Other countries are also making important strides: Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, French Guiana and Mexico report the lowest number of malaria cases and are close to elimination, while Honduras and Nicaragua have reduced cases of Plasmodium falciparum by 70% and 52%, respectively, bringing Central America closer to full elimination of this parasite.

Persistent transmission in the Amazon and vulnerable areas

Fifteen countries and one territory in the Region still report areas with malaria transmission, with Brazil (30%), Colombia (24%), and Venezuela (19%) accounting for nearly three-quarters of all cases. Most infections (88%) are concentrated in the Amazon basin and the Pacific coast in Colombia, where dispersed populations and limited health access contribute to continued transmission. Indigenous peoples remain the most affected group, representing over one-third of reported cases and nearly 30% of deaths.

In 2024, the Americas registered more than 537,000 malaria cases, a 6% increase compared to 2023 (505,000 cases). Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Haiti, and Panama saw increased transmission of malaria in 2024 due to factors related to internal migration, gold mining, climate events like El Niño, and complicated access to health services in remote or conflict-affected areas.

Community collaborators: bringing diagnosis and treatment closer to home

On Malaria Day in the Americas 2025, PAHO recognizes the efforts of thousands of health workers and community collaborators for their crucial role in eliminating malaria. In many rural and hard-to-reach areas, malaria prevention, diagnosis, and treatment are only possible thanks to the dedication of local residents trained and supervised by Ministries of Health.

These community members, often living in remote villages, indigenous territories, and border zones, serve as the first line of defense against malaria and have helped to remove barriers to care by establishing permanent malaria diagnosis and treatment points within their own communities.

Accelerating the path to elimination

PAHO urges all countries to intensify malaria elimination efforts by:

• Expanding access to rapid diagnosis and treatment through local health services and community agents.
• Reinforcing surveillance systems that generate timely and reliable data.
• Building national alliances that include governments, communities, and partners under the leadership of Ministries of Health.

PAHO's Disease Elimination Initiative supports these efforts, aiming to end malaria -and more than 30 communicable diseases and related conditions - in the Americas by 2030.