In 450 AD, the first human case of malaria was confirmed. Malaria may have killed half of all the people that ever lived. And more people are now infected than at any point in history. Over 0.4 million deaths occur from malaria per annum. Majority of which occur in Sub-Saharan Africa. Per annum, approximately 212 million people suffer from malaria. 40% of the world's population lives in malaria-risk areas. Malaria likely kills one child every 30 seconds.
Before we knew what caused the disease, Quinine was used to treat malaria 250 years. Until the 1930s, quinine was the only drug effective against malaria.
The new RTS,S vaccine trains the immune system to attack the malaria parasite, which is spread by mosquito bites.
Just hope that the anti-vaxxers don't try to shut this down.
Sources: http://www.bbc.com/news/health-39666132
https://www.unicef.org/health/files/health_africamalaria.pdf
http://www.nature.com/news/2002/021003/full/news021001-6.html