The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Malaria and Neglected Diseases of the Tropics was set up in July 2004, to raise awareness amongst Parliamentarians of the devastation that malaria causes. It aims to provide a forum where solutions, urgent and long term, can be promoted.

Forty per cent of the world's population, 3.2 billion people, in 107 countries, live in areas where malaria can infect them. It particularly affects pregnant mothers, and is known to kill over 1 million children under five every year; it probably kills nearer 3 million people. There are between 500,000-600,000 cases of malaria every year. The economic costs are great, it costs Africa US $12 billion gross domestic product (GDP) each year. The suffering and economic hardship caused in Asia and Latin America is also significant.

Malaria is treatable; suffering from malaria is avoidable. There are tools to prevent and treat malaria.

The APPMG holds regular monthly meetings during the Parliamentary terms to which experts in the field are invited to talk about their area of expertise. All Parliamentarians from both Houses and all those involved in the control of malaria are welcome to come to the meetings.

Much has been achieved in malaria control since the Group's inauguration.