Burkina Faso sees historic dip in malaria cases, targets 2030 elimination

Burkina Faso has achieved a significant milestone in its fight against malaria, a disease the nation is committed to eradicating by 2030. The year 2025 marked an unprecedented reduction in both malaria cases and associated fatalities. Dr. Lucien Jean-Claude Kargougou, the Minister of Health, shared these encouraging developments with the press on Friday, February 20, 2026, in Ouagadougou.

The total number of malaria cases across Burkina Faso saw a substantial decline, falling from 10,805,000 in 2024 to 7,329,000 in 2025 – a remarkable decrease of 32%. For children under five years old, this reduction was even more pronounced, with over 1,900,000 fewer cases reported, representing approximately a 38% drop.

Malaria-related deaths also experienced a dramatic fall, from 3,523 in 2024 to 1,900 in 2025, signifying a 48% reduction. Dr. Kargougou highlighted that among children under five, there was a recorded decrease of 893 deaths in 2025.

According to Dr. Lucien Jean-Claude Kargougou, Burkina Faso’s ambition is unequivocal: «Eliminate malaria by 2030». He emphasized, «To achieve this, we must maintain our current trajectory, enhance environmental sanitation, bolster the implementation of high-impact interventions (including malaria vaccination, the use of mosquito nets, and Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention plus – CPS+), strengthen communication for behavioral change, solidify community engagement, and ensure sustainable funding».

The Minister of Health underscored that these positive outcomes are not coincidental. «They stem from a clear political vision, championed by His Excellency the President of Faso, Head of State, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who prioritizes equitable access to healthcare and the protection of citizens at the core of public policy».

He further noted that these results also reflect the unwavering commitment of the Government and the collective mobilization of all national stakeholders and partners.

Dr. Kargougou attributed part of this success to the establishment of the National Multisectoral Committee for Malaria Control (CONAMEP), which has enhanced national coordination. This committee solidified the belief that malaria elimination necessitates multisectoral collaboration and active community participation.

«The national campaign for the universal and free distribution of long-lasting insecticide-treated mosquito nets facilitated the dissemination of nearly 15 million latest-generation, bi-impregnated nets, with a clear objective: an utilization rate of at least 80%.

These new-generation bi-impregnated mosquito nets have proven more effective against insecticide resistance compared to those previously used in our country», he explained.

Over 33,000 community volunteers and 7,000 health professionals traversed cities and remote villages, including those in challenging security zones, to ensure equitable protection for households, according to the health minister. He asserted, «This localized approach has fostered greater community ownership and collective responsibility».

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He added that the nationwide rollout of free malaria vaccination, active since August 14, 2025, across all 70 health districts of the country, also represents a historic advancement in Burkina Faso’s battle against the disease.

For Lucien Jean-Claude Kargougou, these results are historic not just due to the numbers, but because everyone has understood that the fight against malaria is fundamentally a battle of behaviors and social acceptance.
«Community mobilization and effective communication have been central to our strategy. Information campaigns tailored to local realities, the involvement of community and religious leaders, door-to-door awareness efforts, and media engagement have successfully transformed prevention tools into actual practices: sleeping under mosquito nets, vaccinating children, and seeking early consultation in case of fever», he stated.

In light of this, Minister Kargougou urged various stakeholders to maintain this momentum to meet the challenge of malaria elimination.

«We call upon all stakeholders: local authorities, civil society organizations, technical and financial partners, community leaders, media, and the general population, to continue and intensify these efforts. Together, we have demonstrated that it is possible to significantly reduce malaria. Together, we will eliminate malaria in Burkina Faso», he concluded.