“Malaria is a thief—it steals lives, futures, and economic progress. But we can defeat it. We just need the will and the global solidarity to do so.” - Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Former President of Liberia and Nobel Laureate

When we think of the world’s deadliest animals, often we think of lions, sharks, and other large predators—but the mosquito is responsible for more human deaths than any other creature on the planet. As the primary transmitter for malaria, this tiny insect continues to drive one of the most devastating global health crises.

Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites transmitted through the bites of infected mosquitoes. There were approximately 249 million malaria cases and 608,000 deaths in 2022, with the vast majority in sub-Saharan Africa. Children under five remain disproportionately affected, making up 76% of all malaria deaths. Despite being preventable and treatable, malaria continues to exact a staggering toll on the world’s most vulnerable, claiming a child’s life nearly every minute.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is the world’s largest financing mechanism for malaria programs. Its investments have had a tremendous impact in reducing the burden of the disease since 2002 (see drop-down below). Now, with the recent introduction of highly effective malaria vaccines, there’s an unprecedented opportunity to save tens of thousands of young lives each year. The Global Fund is working closely with partners like Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to ensure these new vaccines reach everyone who needs them, particularly children. As of April 2025, 19 countries had introduced the vaccine as part of routine childhood vaccinations, with scale-up and additional roll-outs planned throughout the year.

The ask: With rising global health threats and widening inequalities, we urge Canada to continue to champion the Global Fund and build on our current level of strong support to help #WinTheFight against AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.

Despite recent innovations in antimalarial technologies, progress in the fight against malaria is at risk for two main reasons:

• Drug resistance is emerging in several regions, undermining the effectiveness of front-line antimalarial treatments and complicating case management.
• Climate change is altering the geography and seasonality of malaria transmission, enabling mosquitoes to thrive in previously low-risk areas and contributing to more frequent and severe outbreaks.

These intersecting challenges threaten to reverse hard-won gains and underscore the urgency of sustained, global investment in malaria control and elimination.

We know that investing in malaria control and elimination programs doesn’t just save lives; it’s also economically smart. A recent report shows that achieving the global target of reducing malaria cases by 90% by 2030 could boost the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of malaria-endemic countries by US$ 142.7 billion over the 2023-2030 period. This would also have global benefits by increasing international trade by US$ 80.7 billion over the same timeline, including direct trade benefits for G7 countries of US$ 3.9 billion in additional exports. This underscores the economic benefits of ending malaria, not just for affected countries but for the whole global economy.

As the Global Fund holds its Eighth Replenishment this year, the choice before us is clear: retreat in the face of rising challenges, or double down on a proven solution that saves lives, strengthens health systems, boosts economies, and revitalizes communities.

Canada has a proud legacy of global leadership (see the drop-down below). With a new government in place, this is a pivotal moment to reaffirm our commitment to building a better world through bold investments in global health. A strong Canadian pledge to the Global Fund’s Eighth Replenishment will not only help #WinTheFight against AIDS, TB, and malaria, but it will demonstrate that Canada stands firmly for equity, solidarity, and a healthier, more just future for all. To do this effectively, Canada must ensure its international assistance envelope is sufficiently resourced in the upcoming Federal Budget this fall so it can continue to ambitiously support lifesaving mechanisms like the Global Fund.

latest campaign news

#BudgetForLeadership:

• The federal government is reviewing how it spends money, with major new investments announced in defence, infrastructure, and tax cuts. This may create challenges for global health and international development funding, especially as departments look to reduce spending starting in 2026. However, there are signs of hope, with Prime Minister Mark Carney and other leaders promising they will not cut foreign aid. Every dollar invested in international assistance saves lives, fights malnutrition and disease, strengthens global health systems, and creates opportunities that support stability, security, and economic growth benefiting both communities around the world and Canadians. Results Canada will continue to track this space and ensure we hold the government accountable in ensuring everyone, everywhere, has access to the resources they need to live and thrive.

story

In the heart of Cameroon’s Soa District, a pregnant mother named Melissa lived under the constant shadow of malaria. It was a familiar and terrifying adversary – her toddler, Gabriella, had fallen ill, and Melissa herself had battled the disease during her pregnancy.

Around them stood a quiet hero: Amélie, the community health worker who visited the family at home, night or day, offering preventive treatment, dual‑insecticide bed nets, and now, the groundbreaking malaria vaccine. When her son, Tony-Jason, turned 6 months old, he received this lifesaving shot that will help ensure he doesn’t also get the life-threatening disease.

Cameroon became the first country in the world to incorporate the new malaria vaccine into its routine national child immunization program, with support from the Global Fund. As a result, thousands of children have already been protected. Behind this achievement are women like Amélie, midwives, and nurses leading the charge against one of the world’s deadliest diseases. Their work is changing the story of malaria, one family at a time.

Read the full story on the Global Fund's website.

video

Malaria remains a deadly health threat, killing one child every minute of every day.

But proven tools to prevent and treat this deadly disease exist. And over the last two decades the Global Fund and partners have prevented billions of malaria cases and saved millions of lives.

ACTIONS

call the Secretary of State

Join us in creating a buzz this World Mosquito Day (August 20)!

Help amplify the call to end malaria by phoning Secretary of State for International Development, Randeep Sarai, and urging Canada to step up with an ambitious pledge to the Global Fund’s Eighth Replenishment.

Be sure to also ask Canada to increase its international assistance envelope (IAE) in the upcoming federal budget so we can continue to support lifesaving global health efforts like the Global Fund.

Once you've made the call, fill in this brief action report to let us know!

• Mark your calendar for August 20 and together, let’s generate a buzz the government can’t ignore!
• Call Minister Sarai’s Parliament Hill office at 613-992-2922.
• You can address him as “Secretary of State”, “Minister of State”, or “Minister Sarai”.
• Make sure to mention that you that you care about our role in the world and that you want to ensure Canada continues to maintain investment in international assistance, so we can continue to support high-impact mechanisms like the Global Fund.
• You’ll likely speak with a staff member who will pass your message along, or you can leave a voicemail with your name and number if no one answers.
• Once you've made the call, fill in this brief action report to let us know!

Expert tip: Use the EPIC model of effective communication to get your message across clearly and be sure to include the ask for Canada to continue its ambitious support for the Global Fund.

complete the pre-budget consultation

As the new government prepares for the tabling of Budget 2025 in the fall, a pre-budget consultation has opened to the public. This is a chance for people in Canada to share their ideas and priorities on how to better shape Canada's future. Use this opportunity to tell the government why we need to ensure its international assistance envelope (IAE) is sufficiently resourced so it can continue to ambitiously support lifesaving mechanisms like the Global Fund.

We often hear that Canadians don’t care about global issues and that it is not a priority, but we know how vital mechanisms like the Global Fund are in ensuring the health of all, which in turn helps the world, because we know that diseases know no borders.

The questionnaire includes one open-ended question that asks, “what is one suggestion you have for how the federal government can support you or your community?” Use the allotted 255 characters to explain why Canada must maintain investment in international assistance in Budget 2025 to fulfill our commitments to global health equity, protect the health of Canadians and marginalized communities, create new trading partners, support our own security and global stability, win the fight against the deadliest epidemics, and create a healthier, safer, more prosperous world for all.

Complete the pre-budget consultation by August 28, 2025.

Hear from the new Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne on the importance of engaging in the pre-budget consultations. Keep an eye out on Minister Champagne’s social media and website to learn if he will be in your community hosting in-person consultations on Budget 2025. This is a great opportunity to show that we care about global issues and that the government must keep its promise to maintain investment in the IAE.

write a Letter to the Editor (LTE)

There are two major hooks this month that will increase your likelihood of getting a letter to the editor published and raise awareness of the need for Canada to continue to ambitiously support the Global Fund. Using the information in our call-to-action, write a short letter to a news outlet to get the word out. Most parliamentarians and decision-makers read them! 

Choose one or try them both! 

Hook 1: impending summer cuts announcements 

Prime Minister Carney has asked Ministers to cut spending by the end of the summer. We don’t know if international assistance will be among the cuts but it’s urgent that we make sure that these decision-makers understand the importance of investing in the stability, security, and economic prosperity of the world. Now is the time to raise our voices and remind decision-makers that investing globally is not only the right thing to do, but also a smart strategy for strengthening our economy, trade partnerships, and global stability. Letters to the editor can show broad public support and help shape the upcoming budget, while reminding decision-makers that Canadians care. We must ensure international assistance is protected and strengthened in Budget 2025. 

Funding global health initiatives – like the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria – saves millions of lives, which is especially important with the US turning its back on global health and endangering lifesaving progress in disease control and nutrition. It also ensures the wellbeing and security of Canada: diseases know no borders, and a healthier word means a more stable world for all. 

Now is the moment where we must keep pushing for the international assistance envelope (IAE) in the federal budget to not be reduced as Carney promised. Write a letter to the editor urging Minister Anita Anand and Secretary of State (International Development) Randeep Sarai to keep aid off the chopping block. 

Hook 2: create a buzzzzz for ending malaria on World Mosquito Day 

The Global Fund has had a tremendous impact in the fight against malaria, helping to reduce malaria deaths by 28% between 2002 and 2022. But this progress is at risk. Increasing drug resistance is undermining the effectiveness of front-line antimalarial treatments, and climate change is altering the geography and seasonality of malaria transmission, enabling mosquitoes to thrive in previously low-risk areas and contributing to more frequent and severe outbreaks.  

These intersecting challenges threaten to reverse hard-won gains and underscore the urgency of sustained, global investment in malaria control and elimination. Use World Mosquito Day (August 20) as a hook to publish a letter to the editor, highlighting the evolving threat of malaria and the need for Canada to continue its ambitious support for the Global Fund to help #WinTheFight against the world’s deadliest epidemics. 

Make the case that Canada should not only make an ambitious pledge to the Global Fund but also increase its international assistance envelope in the next federal budget to ensure we can meet the growing global need. 

Be sure to send your LTE to your local community papers for the best chance of being published! Refer to past volunteer LTEs but don’t fall into the trap of copying other people’s styles. 

did you get published?