“Happy” World Malaria Day

Today is April 25th. It is designated as World Malaria Day. Unlike other celebrated days like New Year, Valentine, Independence, today is meant to remind us of the scourge of a pernicious disease that kills a child every 45 seconds.  Malaria Day commemorated with speeches, seminars, symposiums and workshops that are meant to petition all… Continue reading “Happy” World Malaria Day

WHO Says Progress in Malaria Threatened by Funding

Recent gains in the fight against malaria could be reversed because funding has stalled, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said. Its latest World Malaria Report says 1.1 million lives were saved in the past decade but that the expansion in funding from 2004-09 halted in 2010-12. Less than half of the $5.1bn (£3.1bn) needed… Continue reading WHO Says Progress in Malaria Threatened by Funding

Fight Against Malaria Compromised by Resistance Spread

Scientists have found new evidence that resistance to the front-line treatments for malaria is increasing. They have confirmed that resistant strains of the malaria parasite on the border between Thailand and Burma, 500 miles (800km) away from previous sites. Researchers say that the rise of resistance means the effort to eliminate malaria is “seriously compromised”.… Continue reading Fight Against Malaria Compromised by Resistance Spread

Hope for Malaria Vaccine After Blood Entry Route Discovered

By James Gallagher Health reporter, BBC News The route all strains of the most deadly malaria parasite use to enter red blood cells has been identified by researchers at the Sanger Institute in Cambridge. The scientists involved said the finding offered “great hope” for the development of a vaccine, which had the potential to be… Continue reading Hope for Malaria Vaccine After Blood Entry Route Discovered

Malaria Vaccine: Now A Possibility

GlaxoSmithKline research head Moncef Slaoui explains how change of focus to cellular immunity was key to breakthrough Moncef Slaoui was on holiday with his family when he heard the results of the first small trial, involving African infants, of the malaria vaccine he helped invent. It was a day he would never forget. “It was… Continue reading Malaria Vaccine: Now A Possibility

Malaria Deaths Fall over 20% Worldwide in Last Decade

There has been a fall of just over 20% in the number of deaths from malaria worldwide in the past decade, the World Health Organization says. A new report said that one-third of the 108 countries where malaria was endemic were on course to eradicate the disease within 10 years. Experts said if targets continued… Continue reading Malaria Deaths Fall over 20% Worldwide in Last Decade

Malaria Vaccine Trial Raises Hope

Researchers are to expand a clinical trial of a new malaria vaccine after promising results in a preliminary study in Burkina Faso.

The trial was designed to test safety, but researchers found that vaccinated children had high levels of protection.
Around a hundred different malaria vaccine candidates have been developed to date but the MSP3 vaccine tested in Burkina Faso is only the second one to show a substantial level of protection against the illness.

African Leaders Launch Malaria-Beating Scorecard

A coalition of African leaders on Monday launched a “scorecard for accountability and action” to track their progress in the fight against malaria, following on successes in battling the disease that claims hundreds of thousands of lives in Africa each year. The 40-member African Leaders Malaria Alliance (Alma), which was launched two years ago, aims… Continue reading African Leaders Launch Malaria-Beating Scorecard