Beating Malaria in Africa

Lately it seems that Maps Mania has only featured a succession of increasingly depressing maps. So here's the good news - in endemic Africa the prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum malarial infection has halved since 2000.

The Malaria Atlas Project has created an interactive map which allows you to see where and when Plasmodium falciparum infection is on the decrease in endemic Africa. The Malaria in Africa map shows the dramatic impact that malaria interventions have had across central Africa.

The map includes a series of heat maps which allow you to explore Plasmodium falciparum parasite rates and incidence rates for every year since 2000. You can also view choropleth maps visualizing the coverage of malaria interventions, including insecticide treated bednet coverage, indoor residual spraying coverage and Artemisinin-based combination therapy coverage.

Dr Gething of the MAP team says that "300 thousand children still die from malaria in Africa each year." However the Malaria in Africa map shows how cheap and effective control measures have made and can continue to make a huge dent in African malaria.