Poverty, malaria and the right to health

Malaria is an extremely serious human rights issue. Six out of eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) cannot be achieved without tackling this disease. It is both a cause and a consequence of poverty. Its impact is especially ferocious on the poorest: those least able to afford preventive measures and medical treatment. Malaria kills well over 1 million people every year, claiming a child’s life every 30 seconds. It impoverishes families, households and national economies, lowers worker productivity and discourages investment. It costs Africa $12 billion every year.