The annual Commonwealth Malaria Report has revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted malaria services, leading to an increase in malaria incidence and mortality rates. Data from the report also indicates that the Commonwealth is currently not on track to halve malaria cases and/or deaths by 2023. Many countries remain on track to reach the commitment. However, the Africa region, including those countries with the highest burdens, is falling behind and the Commonwealth as a whole is off track. A fifth of Commonwealth malaria-endemic countries were on track to halve both malaria case incidence and mortality rates by 2023. These countries were Bangladesh, Belize, India, Malaysia and Pakistan. The Kingdom of Eswatini was on track to meet the mortality rate target and almost on track to meet the case incidence target. In many countries across the Commonwealth, mortality rates have

continued to fall at levels sufficient to reach the halving target. Over a third of countries have made the progress required to be on track to halve malaria by 2023, and seven countries have already achieved the target to reduce their mortality rate by half of their 2015 levels. These countries are Bangladesh, Belize, Kingdom of Eswatini, India, Malaysia, South Africa, and Vanuatu. Strong progress continues to be made by Sierra Leone, which had one of the highest levels of malaria burden at the baseline year of 2015.