Basic supplies for preventing malaria are running low as global funding has been cut in the last few years, according to a major report published yesterday.
The World Health Organisation warned of a threat of a resurgence of the disease.
Millions of households in Africa may be unable to replace insecticidal nets as supplies dry up, according to the annual World Malaria Report.
In 2010 some 145 million nets were distributed across sub-Saharan Africa but this has fallen to 65 million this year.
The report says a concerted global drive over the last ten years has had a major effect – saving more than 1.1 million lives, the bulk of them in the worst affected countries.
It says that while 50 countries are on track to cut malaria rates by 2015 they only represent 3% of the number of cases in 2000.
WHO malaria programme director Dr Robert Newman said: “Global targets for reducing the malaria burden will not be reached unless progress is accelerated in the highest burden countries.
"These countries are in a precarious situation and most of them need urgent financial assistance to procure and distribute life-saving commodities."
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