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USAID – The Malaria Initiative

Through direct support to PAHO’s Regional Malaria Program and the formulation and implementation of three Regional Malaria Plans (2006-2010, 2011-2015, and 2016-2020), USAID’s malaria investments have served as a catalyst for change and exhibited a multiplier effect on other malaria projects and initiatives across the region.

USAID’s work in over 100 countries leads international development and humanitarian efforts to save lives, reduce poverty, strengthen democratic governance, and help people progress beyond assistance. Since 2000, USAID and PAHO’s interventions have contributed to a 68% reduction in malaria cases and an estimated 3,000 deaths have been averted in the region of the Americas.

Joint efforts include changes in malaria treatment, the prioritization of high-burden areas with most of the cases in the region, sustained drug-resistance monitoring in 15 countries, improving capacities in microscopy and access to diagnosis with microscopy and rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), provision of emergency treatments and prevention of antimalarial stock-outs in 17 malaria-endemic countries, improvements in malaria surveillance and vector control strategies as well as the implementation of WHO framework towards malaria elimination and prevention of re-establishment.

20 Years of Collaboration in Combating Malaria

In collaboration with the Region’s Ministries of Health and PAHO, USAID is helping communities and families in the fight against malaria

Partnership Leads to Advancements in Combating Malaria

The PAHO-USAID partnership against malaria has been ongoing for almost 20 years. and USAID’s malaria funding investments in the Region of the Americas have increased significantly since the beginning of the collaboration.

Together, USAID and PAHO have collaborated to develop and help countries to adopt the most efficient approaches to respond to evolving challenges in malaria control and elimination. Two key factors that have led to a successful partnership are (1) working together to understand the complexities and on-the-ground realities in the region, and (2) being open to new, innovative approaches.

When this partnership originally launched, it focused on creating measures to guide antimalarial drug policies as well as pioneering malaria elimination strategies and building and strengthening health networks across the region. Since then, USAID and PAHO’s interventions continue to achieve results, despite ever-changing scenarios.  Through this partnership, both USAID and PAHO remain committed to helping malaria-endemic countries in the Americas reach their goal of eliminating the disease by 2030.

This USAID collaboration with PAHO has also had catalytic effects with Global Fund projects in many of the endemic countries and more recently with the generation of approaches and instruments incorporated by the Regional Malaria Elimination Initiative in Central America (RMEI).

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