News

India's invisible malaria burden

Simon I Hay, Peter W Gething & Robert W Snow | 19 Nov 2023 | The Lancet

Measurement of malaria mortality is a public health challenge that has been met with various solutions. Outside Africa, these estimates usually rely on governmental recorded deaths, which have been adjusted in various ways to account for incomplete reporting.

Tackling the booming trade in counterfeit drugs

Nayanah Siva | 19 Nov 2023 | The Lancet

The black market in counterfeit drugs is worth billions, but it does untold damage to the health of the poorest populations. Nayanah Siva reports on international efforts to tackle the problem.

Last month 45 countries took part in the internet-based campaign Operation Pangea III to tackle online counterfeit drug crime. As a result, regulators recovered thousands of illicit and counterfeit drugs valued at US$2·6 million, 76 people were arrested across the globe, 694 website investigations were opened, and 290 illegal websites have already been shut down. The operation involved several international organisations, including police, customs, national drug regulators, and internet service providers working together.

Operation Pangea III is the third of its kind, and over the past 2 years has aimed to raise awareness about the international black market of counterfeit medication. The head of INTERPOL, who coordinated the operation, lauded the fact that 20 more countries took part in the operation than in 2009, signifying a step towards greater international cooperation against counterfeit drug crime.

Malaria Infection Could Drop By 90 Percent in 2012

Fred Ndoli | 18 Nov 2023 | New Times (Kigali)

Malaria infection could reduce by 90 percent by 2012 if indoor residual spraying is fully embraced, TRAC Plus and RTI, have predicted.

Greedy pharmacists a threat to malaria war

None | 11 Nov 2023 | Daily Nation

That malaria is a major health and economic burden in this country in not in doubt, and this may continue to be the case for quite a while. In the past five years, Kenya and the global community have spent huge amounts of money and resources to accelerate efforts to reduce the malaria burden.

Overpriced medicines sabotage malaria war

Gatonye Gathura | 09 Nov 2023 | Daily Nation

Pharmacists across the country are making massive profits from highly subsidised malaria drugs that are meant to make the treatment more accessible to majority of Kenyans.

Free the Fight Against Malaria

Richard Nchabi Kamwi | 08 Nov 2023 | Wall Street Journal Europe

This week southern African countries commemorate Malaria Week, with events to increase awareness of a disease that continues to claim lives and stunt development in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Eliminating malaria impossible without vaccine

Maria Cheng | 29 Oct 2023 | Associated Press

Eliminating malaria, the mosquito-borne scourge that kills more than 860,000 people a year, would be a dream come true for millions - but medical experts say right now that goal remains completely unrealistic.

Malaria eradication an aspiration not a priority, says KEMRI professor

Onome Akpogheneta | 27 Oct 2023 | Tropika.net

Malaria eradication "should be our aspiration, but not our priority" advised Professor Kevin Marsh, Director of the KEMRI-Wellcome Programme and Oxford University Professor of Tropical Medicine, during his discussion with Professor A C Grayling for the BBC World Service's Exchanges at the Frontier series.

Award-winning malaria scientist warns of drug resistance

Carly Weeks | 25 Oct 2023 | Globe and Mail

The most effective malaria treatment ever discovered was not developed by a team of scientists in a high-tech lab. It was created using a traditional Chinese herbal remedy that had been used to treat illness for hundreds of years.

Study: Malaria bigger killer in India than known

Maria Cheng | 20 Oct 2023 | Associated Press

The number of people dying from malaria in India may be more than 10 times higher than World Health Organization figures suggest, a new study says. But WHO has disputed the findings.