NAIROBI, November 5, 2009 – Achieving eradication will require an integrated approach with new and existing tools – including drugs, diagnostics, long-lasting insecticide treated nets (LLINs), indoor residual spraying (IRS), other forms of vector control, and ultimately a vaccine.
Experts at the 5th Multilateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM) Pan-African Malaria Conference have said.
“But beyond the tools, it will also require education; training and empowerment of patients, caregivers and health care workers; and political will, community leadership and sustained donor funding for innovation,” the experts at the Nairobi Conference said.
Despite these gains, stakeholders gathered at MIM agree that eradication will require true commitment from African policymakers, national malaria control program officers, donors and other implementing partners.
Participants agreed that partnerships among these groups have led to some of the most effective malaria control advances in recent years, and will be essential for success.
Throughout the week, scientists at MIM have discussed groundbreaking research on new malaria interventions that can help the global community reach effective eradication of malaria.
With a promising new vaccine now in the pipeline, innovative new drugs in development, and a strong toolkit of existing interventions, eradication appears to be an achievable goal.
“However, donors must continue to invest in new tools development to maintain a pipeline of products, such as drugs and insecticides, that can replace existing tools as the malaria parasite and vectors evolve and resistance renders interventions ineffective,” the experts said.
Experts gathered agreed that without a concerted effort to massively scale up and sustain use of today’s best tools and tomorrow’s new ones, eradication will not be possible.
They said, “High tech, cutting-edge, effective, life-saving interventions are pointless if the global community cannot find ways to guarantee that they get to those who need them most. Malaria interventions must be available, affordable and appropriate for local contexts.”
They reiterated that continued political support combined with sufficient and sustained funding will be necessary to ensure protection for millions of vulnerable persons around the world.
“Building on the foundation of malaria research, pressure must be placed on both endemic and donor governments so that they maintain support for innovative treatment and prevention, and evidence-based implementation and scale-up,” they said.