KINSHASA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO / RankWire.AI / – In 2025, the Democratic Republic of the Congo documented a total of 26,064,143 malaria infections, with the nation also recording 29,938 fatalities associated with the disease throughout the year. During the launch of a new campaign in Ituri province, Guy Esebe Dembo, deputy director of the National Malaria Control Programme, disclosed these statistics. He emphasized that malaria continues to pose the primary public health challenge for the country. These updated figures highlight a substantial disease burden across one of Africa’s most heavily impacted malaria regions.
The release of these figures coincided with the expansion of malaria control activities by health authorities in Ituri. Dembo stressed that ongoing efforts must be maintained while reinforcing interventions that have already demonstrated effectiveness, advocating for approaches tailored to the specific conditions of individual health zones. The initiative in Ituri primarily focuses on mass administration of antimalarial medications and was launched as part of broader initiatives aimed at malaria prevention and treatment. The national programme is dedicated to implementing measures that aim to decrease infection rates, severe illness, and malaria-related mortality.
According to World Health Organization, an estimated 282 million malaria cases were reported globally in 2024, resulting in approximately 610,000 deaths. The continent of Africa bore the brunt of these figures, accounting for roughly 95% of both cases and fatalities that year. The region experienced an estimated 265 million infections and 579,000 deaths, with the Democratic Republic of the Congo representing 11.7% of the continent’s malaria-related deaths. Data from WHO also indicates that children under five account for about three-quarters of all malaria deaths across Africa, underscoring the country’s position among the world’s highest-burden malaria settings.
Malaria remains a predominantly African health crisis
Malaria transmission primarily occurs through bites from infected female Anopheles mosquitoes and, despite being preventable and treatable, continues to cause significant health challenges. Early symptoms such as fever, chills, and headaches are common, but severe infections can escalate rapidly, leading to breathing difficulties, seizures, extreme fatigue, and impaired consciousness. The parasite Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for the most fatalities and is the most widespread species across Africa. To curb transmission and prevent severe outcomes, health agencies rely on the use of mosquito nets, medications, testing, and treatment. Prompt diagnosis remains critical because untreated falciparum malaria can quickly become life-threatening.
In October 2024, the Democratic Republic of the Congo incorporated the R21 malaria vaccine into its national immunization schedule, marking a significant step forward. The initial deployment began in Kongo Central province after the country received 693,500 doses, targeting 173,375 children across 31 health zones. This initiative received support from the WHO, working alongside the government and other health partners. The vaccination effort complements existing prevention strategies, such as insecticide-treated nets, preventive medicines, diagnostic testing, and treatment, serving as an additional tool to shield young children from malaria.
Vaccination complements existing national malaria strategies
The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s 2024-2028 National Strategic Plan incorporates multiple measures aimed at reducing malaria across populations at high risk. These measures include expanding access to new insecticide-treated mosquito nets, providing preventive treatment for pregnant women and infants, and piloting seasonal malaria chemoprevention. Additional strategies involve indoor residual spraying, larval habitat control, rapid diagnostic testing, and artemisinin-based therapies. The plan also emphasizes malaria surveillance and community engagement to support these efforts, with the goal of protecting 80% of at-risk populations from the disease. The case and death figures announced by Dembo for 2025 derive from reports by the national malaria programme and are separate from WHO’s current global estimates for 2024. These figures demonstrate that malaria continues to impact millions across the country, with a comprehensive response involving drug administration, vaccination, mosquito control, preventive treatment, and diagnostic services. The Ituri campaign’s inclusion of mass antimalarial drug administration adds a vital component to these ongoing efforts to lower malaria illness and fatalities.