The UK has led the fight against malaria for a long time, for well over a century in fact. It was a British scientist Sir Ronald Ross who first discovered the link between the disease and mosquitoes.

Since then British aid and innovation has been at the forefront of the huge progress made in tackling malaria. Deaths associated with malaria fell from 839,000 in 2000 to 435,000 in 2017, and cases have dropped by around 43 million in the same period.

Last year alone, there were an estimated 219 million cases of malaria occurred worldwide compared with 239 million cases in 2010. But there is more to do.

This week, the World Malaria Report was published, reminding us all of the huge challenges we face in the fight against malaria. This preventable disease affects millions of people.

The report shows global progress to combat malaria is stalling. The UK government is fully committed to this fight, and alongside our partners around the world, we’re trying to change this trend.

We all want to see a world where a preventable and treatable disease no longer takes lives or prevents women and girls from attending school or work because they have to care for ill relatives. We want to see an end to a disease that prevents individuals and countries from realising their full potential.