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The UAE Combats Malaria Worldwide: Humanitarian Initiatives and Financial Contributions

Its humanitarian initiatives and financial contributions contribute to accelerating progress towards the complete eradication of this disease, which, according to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, affected approximately 282 million people in 2024.

The UAE joins the world in commemorating World Malaria Day, observed annually on April 25th. This day marks 29 years since the UAE recorded no active cases of malaria within its borders since 1997, and 19 years since the WHO declared the country malaria-free in 2007.

The UAE is a leading supporter of efforts to reduce malaria cases worldwide by at least 90% by 2030, in accordance with the WHO's Global Technical Strategy for Malaria.

The UAE's Unwavering Generosity

The UAE dedicates its expertise and resources to reducing the spread of malaria and assisting numerous countries in combating it. International health organizations commend the UAE's support for global malaria control efforts, including its support for the "No More Malaria" initiative and the "Reaching the Last Mile" initiative, as well as its humanitarian initiatives over the past years to bolster the health and treatment programs of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) and the Roll Back Malaria Partnership.

In 2020, the UAE launched the "Predicting a Healthy Future" initiative to accelerate progress in combating deadly mosquito-borne diseases, including malaria. In January 2022, the initiative launched the new Institute for Malaria and Climate Solutions (IMACS), a global institute focused on combating malaria in the face of climate change and weather fluctuations.

In January 2023, the Reaching the Last Mile initiative, the No More Malaria Foundation, and the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence announced the expansion of their global climate and health initiative, "Predicting a Healthy Future," with a new three-year grant of US$5 million.

Last August, the Global Institute for Communicable Disease Elimination (GIDE), operating under the auspices of the Zayed Humanitarian Legacy Foundation, announced the "National Data Analysis to Understand Malaria Re-emergence and Regression in the Middle East and North Africa" ​​project. This project aims to support efforts to eliminate the disease and prevent its re-emergence in the region.

The project covers 18 countries in the Middle East and North Africa and aims to establish a database of the factors that have contributed to the spread of malaria in the region over the past century.

Scientific Research:

In a related development, researchers from the United Arab Emirates University, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT) campus in Zanzibar, completed a pioneering study that introduced a new data-driven framework for modeling malaria transmission dynamics.

The study represents a significant step towards developing more accurate global health models by integrating artificial intelligence with mathematical epidemiology. It offers a new method for predicting malaria outbreaks by incorporating temperature and altitude-based variables into disease classification models. This allows for a more realistic simulation of how the disease spreads, particularly in areas prone to climate fluctuations.

Local Strategy

Locally, the UAE, through the Ministry of Health and Prevention, implements an effective strategy to protect the community from communicable and infectious diseases. This strategy relies on a preventive healthcare system and an epidemiological surveillance program to detect and treat imported cases.

The Ministry, in cooperation with local health authorities, continues to maintain the UAE's malaria-free status through the rigorous implementation of the post-declaration plan. This includes enhancing early detection and treatment of imported cases, continuing to train and develop the workforce in all areas of control, and strengthening mosquito control activities.