Negative statements, which negate the verb, usually make your readers work harder than they should have to. Negative statements force readers to turn your ideas around to understand what you are saying when you are not saying something else. This extra work robs your writing of force and directness. Look for affirmative ways to make your points:

Malaria is not just a minor problem in the developing world.

Malaria is a major problem in the developing world.

About one million people a year do not survive malaria.

About one million people a year die of malaria.

A sentence can include a negative word like no without being a negative statement:

If you write affirmative statements habitually, an occasional negative statement will stand out and become forceful:

The decade 2000–2010 saw great progress in the war against malaria. It would be wonderful if the progress were continuing and we were winning the war, but this is not the case. The amount of money available for vaccine research, prevention, and treatment simply isn’t enough.