WHO prequalifies first malaria treatment for newborns, adds new diagnostic tests
The World Health Organization announced the prequalification of the first antimalarial treatment developed specifically for newborns and young infants weighing between two and five kilograms, ahead of World Malaria Day on 25 April. The treatment, artemether-lumefantrine, meets international quality, safety and efficacy standards and is intended to close a treatment gap for some 30 million babies born each year in malaria-endemic areas of Africa. WHO also prequalified three new rapid diagnostic tests on 14 April 2026 that target a different parasite protein to address emerging diagnostic failures caused by parasite strains that have lost the HRP2 gene. The announcements coincided with the launch of the 2026 World Malaria Day campaign, “Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can. Now We Must.” According to the World malaria report 2025, there were an estimated 282 million cases and 610,000 deaths in 2024, an increase from 2023, while 47 countries have been certified malaria-free and 37 countries reported fewer than 1,000 cases in 2024. WHO estimates that 2.3 billion malaria infections have been prevented and 14 million lives saved since 2000, and 25 countries are now rolling out malaria vaccines.
What’s reported
WHO prequalified the first antimalarial treatment designed for newborns and infants weighing 2–5 kg: artemether-lumefantrine.
Previously, infants were treated with formulations for older children, increasing risks of dosing errors, side effects and toxicity.
WHO prequalification enables public sector procurement for some 30 million babies born annually in malaria-endemic areas of Africa.
On 14 April 2026, WHO prequalified three new rapid diagnostic tests that target the pf-LDH protein, addressing HRP2-based test failures.
In some Horn of Africa countries, up to 80% of cases were missed due to HRP2-based test failures.
WHO recommends switching to alternative RDTs when more than 5% of cases are missed due to pf-hrp2 deletions.
The 2026 World Malaria Day campaign theme is “Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can. Now We Must.”
The World malaria report 2025 estimated 282 million cases and 610,000 deaths in 2024.
Since 2000, an estimated 2.3 billion infections prevented and 14 million lives saved.
25 countries are rolling out malaria vaccines, and next-generation mosquito nets make up 84% of all new nets distributed.
Key figures
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (WHO Director-General)
Sources: World Health Organization
