MANILA, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Death from malaria in the Western Pacific region has been reduced by 58 percent between 2010 to 2015, the World Heath Organization (WHO) said here on Monday.

In a statement, the WHO said malaria cases during the same period were also cut to 30 percent.

Shin Young-soo, WHO regional director for the Western Pacific, in a statement called for increased political and financial commitment to wipe out the malaria that continues to kill more than 400,000 people each year.

"Since 2000, the Western Pacific region has made enormous strides, reducing the malaria burden much faster than in the rest of the world," Shin said.