President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has by proclamation declared Monday, April 25, 2016, as "World Malaria Day," and is to be observed throughout the Republic as a Working Holiday.

Conscious of the harmful effect and burden malaria poses on the human race, particularly in Africa, a Resolution declaring April 25 of each year as Africa Malaria Day, amended as World Malaria Day, was adopted by the Summit of African Heads of States held in Harare, Zimbabwe in 1997, which called on Member States of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), now the African Union (AU), to initiate and implement Plans of Actions that would curtail malaria and malaria-related mortality in Africa.

According to a Foreign Ministry release, April 25, 2016 is the 9th World Malaria Day, and will be celebrated in Ganta City, Nimba County, under the theme: “End Malaria for Good”, and the local slogan, "Pregnant Women, Go to the Clinic for Malaria Medicine".

The Proclamation states that the Government of Liberia, realizing the significance of protecting the wellbeing of its citizens and foreign residents, has ratified the Convention on the Right of the Child to good health and nutrition, and, as a member of the World Health Organization (WHO), will join other global health partners in supporting all health programs.

President Johnson Sirleaf has requested the Ministry of Health and other Government Agencies, as well as international organizations concerned to initiate and execute appropriate programs suitable for the occasion.

In Africa, malaria deaths have been cut by one third within the last decade and outside of Africa, 35 out of the 53 countries affected by malaria have reduced cases by 50 percent, and in the same period, countries where access to malaria control interventions have improved most significantly, overall child mortality rates have fallen by approximately 20 percent.