The World Takes on Malaria

Unless you visit the tropics, it’s easy to forget that malaria kills more than a million people every year and sickens more than a few travelers. This week, the public radio show The World is broadcasting a five-part series on malaria. It’s wide-ranging and worth a listen.

Monday’s show looked at the history of malaria in the U.S. and attempts to battle it around the globe. Tuesday’s show examined efforts by an oil company and an African government to eradicate malaria from Equatorial Guinea. Today’s show will examine the rise of ineffective counterfeit anti-malarial drugs in Southeast Asia, and Thursday’s show will highlight the challenges of diagnosing malaria in some regions.

©2026 World Hum, All Rights Reserved