Mexico Advances Malaria Elimination as Global Efforts Expand

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and Mexico’s Ministry of Health (SSa) highlighted the progress and ongoing challenges in the fight against malaria, as efforts intensify to achieve its elimination in the Americas.

The region reported 505,600 malaria cases in 2023, with 92% of them occurring in South America, reports PAHO. Brazil, Venezuela, and Colombia accounted for 80% of all cases, with Colombia reporting the highest number of Plasmodium falciparum infections. Indigenous communities remain disproportionately affected, representing 31% of cases and 41% of malaria-related deaths, underlining the need to address barriers to timely diagnosis and treatment.

PAHO officials emphasize that eliminating malaria will require transformative changes to improve access to care without geographic, cultural, legal, or financial barriers. Despite the challenges, the Americas have achieved important milestones, with Paraguay, Argentina, El Salvador, and Belize certified malaria-free since 2018. Suriname marked three years without local transmission in 2024, while Costa Rica, Mexico, and Ecuador have reported significant advances toward interruption of transmission.

Mexico is pursuing the goal of eliminating indigenous malaria transmission by 2026, according to SSa. The country has surpassed a 90% reduction in transmission over the last 18 years. As of now, 30 of the country’s 32 states are considered malaria-free. In 2023, Mexico recorded 44 indigenous cases, a 73% decrease compared to 2022. However, the country faces new risks due to a rise in imported cases, which increased by 320% in 2023 compared to the previous year. In the first quarter of 2024, 193 imported cases were recorded, a 219% increase over the same period in 2023.

If Mexico manages to reach zero indigenous cases by 2026, the country could seek certification from the World Health Organization (WHO) as malaria-free by 2029, reports the SSa. Health officials encourage continued public participation in preventive measures such as environmental sanitation, mosquito control, and personal protection, including the use of bed nets and wearing long-sleeved clothing.

In January 2025, in support of broader global efforts, the WHO announced the prequalification of the first diagnostic test for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, marking an important step toward the safe and effective treatment of Plasmodium vivax malaria. 

The new G6PD diagnostic test, developed by SD Biosensor, allows for quick, semi-quantitative measurement of enzyme activity. Its availability in both laboratory and non-laboratory settings is expected to help clinicians tailor malaria treatments more safely, particularly by mitigating the risk of relapse caused by drugs that can harm individuals with G6PD deficiency.