Foster Mohale and Ednah Baloyi

 As Health Ministers from across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) gather in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal on Friday, 13 November 2026, to mark SADC Malaria Day on the sidelines of Joint Meeting of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Ministers of Health and Ministers Responsible for HIV/AIDS, the message must be clear: malaria remains a serious public-health threat, and sustained action is essential if the region is to eliminate it.

At the same time, South Africans are preparing for summer holidays, family visits and cross-border travel. Protecting our health should be as much a part of travel planning as booking accommodation or mapping out a destination.

For anyone travelling to a malaria-risk area, precautions are especially important. Warmer weather and seasonal rainfall create ideal breeding conditions for the mosquitoes that transmit malaria, increasing the risk of infection during the summer months.

Malaria is preventable and treatable, yet it continues to claim lives. South Africa’s challenge is to sustain the progress made in reducing malaria cases, particularly as increased travel creates opportunities for infections to move across provincial and national borders.

Preventing malaria is not only the responsibility of health authorities. It also requires informed travellers, vigilant communities and people who seek medical care without delay when symptoms appear.

Malaria remains heavily concentrated in Africa, which accounts for approximately 94% of global malaria cases and deaths. Children under five are especially vulnerable to severe illness and death. But the progress achieved through prevention, diagnosis and treatment shows that the burden of the disease can be reduced when proven interventions are consistently implemented and communities are actively involved.

South Africa has made meaningful progress towards malaria elimination. National surveillance figures show that reported malaria cases fell from 8,199 in 2020 to 3,707 in 2025, while malaria-related deaths declined from 41 to 33 over the same period.

However, this progress must not be mistaken for elimination. Between January and August 2026 alone, South Africa recorded 4,226 malaria cases and 34 malaria-related deaths, already exceeding the totals for the whole of 2025.

The 2017 malaria epidemic, which saw 30,450 cases and 331 deaths, is a stark reminder of the country’s continued vulnerability to outbreaks. As the summer travel season begins, these figures underline the importance of prevention, early diagnosis and prompt treatment.

Regional cooperation is equally critical. South Africa shares borders with countries where malaria transmission occurs, and many people travel across the region for holidays, work, family visits and other reasons.

Partnerships with neighbouring countries, including Mozambique, Eswatini and Zimbabwe, support surveillance, information-sharing and coordinated responses to transmission risks. Malaria does not respect borders, which makes regional cooperation essential to achieving elimination.

The National Department of Health, through the National Malaria Elimination Programme, coordinates interventions to reduce transmission and prevent infections from becoming severe. These include surveillance, early diagnosis, prompt treatment and vector-control measures in affected areas.

Continued investment in these interventions is essential to protect communities and sustain the gains already made.

Public awareness remains a vital part of the response. Before travelling, people should establish whether their destination falls within a malaria-risk area and seek advice from a healthcare professional or travel clinic.

Preventive medication is available at healthcare facilities and may be recommended depending on the destination and individual circumstances. It should be used according to professional advice and alongside measures to prevent mosquito bites.

Simple precautions can significantly reduce exposure:

  • Apply an appropriate mosquito repellent.
  • Wear long-sleeved clothing and long trousers after dark.
  • Sleep under an insecticide-treated mosquito net where necessary.
  • Use screened accommodation or other measures that reduce mosquito entry.

 

While these measures reduce risk, they cannot guarantee complete protection against infection.

Recognising the symptoms of malaria is just as important. Fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle aches and other flu-like symptoms after visiting a malaria-risk area should never be ignored.

Anyone who develops these symptoms after travelling should seek medical attention urgently and tell the healthcare professional where they have been. Malaria can progress rapidly to severe illness, but early diagnosis and appropriate treatment can save lives.

Preventive medication does not eliminate the possibility of infection, so symptoms must still be assessed urgently.

Health workers also have a critical role to play, particularly in areas where malaria is not routinely encountered. Asking patients about recent travel and considering malaria when assessing unexplained fever can help prevent delayed diagnosis. Strong surveillance and timely reporting also enable health authorities to identify where infections originate and respond appropriately.

South Africa’s ambition to eliminate local malaria transmission requires sustained commitment from government, healthcare professionals, communities and individuals.

Elimination cannot be achieved through seasonal awareness campaigns alone. It depends on effective public-health systems, cross-border cooperation, reliable access to prevention and treatment, and consistent action by people who live in or travel to affected areas.

As the summer travel season begins, the message is clear: malaria prevention must be part of responsible travel planning. A holiday should not become a health emergency because risks were overlooked or symptoms ignored.

By taking appropriate precautions, seeking early medical attention and supporting public-health interventions, South Africans can protect their families and communities while contributing to the country’s broader malaria-elimination efforts.

Malaria elimination is an achievable public-health goal, but progress cannot be taken for granted. Every prevented infection, every early diagnosis and every life saved brings South Africa closer to a future in which malaria is no longer a threat to the health and well-being of its people.

For more information on malaria risk areas, visit the National Department of Health’s malaria page: https://www.health.gov.za/outbreaks-malaria/

Mohale is the spokesperson for the National Department of Health. Baloyi is the Director responsible for Malaria and Vector-Borne Diseases