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Articles for November 2005
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A Model Fight Against Malaria  - New York Times Editorial
The New York Times correctly concludes that Zambia's malaria control program - which relies on ITNs, indoor spraying with insecticides (including DDT) and effective ACT medicines - will show the world how cost effective malaria control can be.
DDT Hysteria Has Killed Millions of People  - Harold M. Koenig, M.D.
Harodl M Koenig and others support the recent Wall Street Journal's recent editorial that calls for US funding of DDT spraying against malaria.
Research finds HIV, malaria co-infected women more likely to pass HIV to foetus  - Xinhua
The report finds HIV positive mothers might be more likely to pass the virus to their children in uterus if they are also infected with malaria.
Anti-malaria genes cancel each other out  - United Press International
Scientists studying the two genes that protect carriers from malaria have found that carrying both is like having neither.
Rolling back malaria  - Matthew Burbidge
Matthew Burbidge writes about malaria in Mozambique and the success of IRS programs. Donors need to pay attention to the successful malaria control programs in this poor and undeveloped country - they are a good model for other malarial areas.
New Results Show the RTS,S Malaria Vaccine Candidate  -
Fourteen hundred forty-two children received a three-dose regimen of the first malaria vaccine in 2003. 18 months later the vaccine has significantly reduced clinical malaria episodes by 35 percent and severe malaria episodes by 49 percent.
Malaria vaccine trial brings hope  - Mail & Guardian
Children in Mozambique are still showing signs of resistance to the malaria parasite after being vaccinated more than 18 months ago.
WHO must take side of malaria victims  - Philip Stevens
The WHO has finally recognised that an Indoor Residual Programme using DDT has the potential to save millions of lives...
DDT Saves Lives  - Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal runs an excellent and hard hitting editorial on the need for DDT to combat malaria. With regard to USAID's malaria control, program, they correctly conclude that " it's time for Congress to exercise some adult supervision."

WHO to push DDT use in new malaria fight  - Tamar Kahn
Roll Back Malaria seem to be endorsing DDT for malaria control, which seems like a step in the right direction. If you read their new strategic plan, their endorsement of DDT is very qualified. In any event, it remains to be seen whether the major donors, like USAID, will actually procure DDT.
Malaria kills 400 Ugandans daily  - Isaac Kalembe
There is still no scientific proof to prove that DDT is harmful to man, animals or the environment....on the contrary many small villages in Uganda are benefiting from the use of the insecticide to control malaria
GSK malaria vaccine boosted by Gates grant  - Datamonitor Newswire
A $107.6 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is set to enable the Malaria Vaccine Initiative to extend its partnership with GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals to develop the company's malaria vaccine for children in Africa.
Health Minister launches new malaria drug campaign  - Ghana News Today
The Health Minister of Ghana, Major Courage Quashigah, recently launched the national campaign for the policy on the new anti-malaria drug, Artesunate-Amodiaquine, with a call on Ghanaians to ensure a reduction in the incidence of malaria.
Climate change linked to rise in malaria, asthma  - Timothy Gardner
A new report claims that climate change may promote the spread of deadly diseases like malaria and asthma in both rich and poor countries by increasing the range of parasitic insects and whipping up dust from storms.
Gates grants US$250m to help NGOs fight malaria  - China Daily
The Gates Foundation has pledged further money in the fight against malaria, so far the money has made significant in-roads in developing a vaccine. But in the interim why not use some of the money to fund the most effective control measure currently available - IRS using DDT?

WHO Supports National Malaria Control Program -Conducts Health Facilities Based Survey

Since the founding of the country Liberia over 150 years ago, malaria has been a serious public health problem.

Governments after another in collaboration with their partners have been using different approaches to address this serious health problem.

However these desperate efforts have not yelled the desire results.

Our people, especially pregnant women and children under five years old continued to die from the disease.

In an effort to reduce the high mortality and mobility rate in Liberia as a result of malaria, the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) with support from the Global Funds to Fight HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria in Liberia is using several methods to meet the Abuja target of reducing the disease burden by half by 2010.

However, though the Global Funds is providing a substantial amount to address the malaria problem in the country, the funds those answer all of the questions in terms of funding needs.

The NMCP has therefore been working with several partners to find additional funding to fill these gaps.

One of such organization is the World Health Organization (WHO). The NMCP in collaboration with WHO will this week begin a Health Facilities Based Survey throughout the country.

The two week exercises, the Manager of the NMCP, Dr. Joel Jones said is intended to collect data that would be used for the establishment of the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) baseline indicators on malaria in Liberia.

Said data, he further indicated, will be analyzed by the NMCP in collaboration of the Planning Division and Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

Meanwhile in an effort to successfully conduct the survey covering 120 health facilities across the country, the National Malaria Control Program with support from the WHO at the weekend concluded a week-long training for Supervisors and Interviewers.

Dr. Jones said a total of four survey teams comprising five members each would be constituted to carry out the exercise.

He thanked the WHO for its continuous support to the NMCP and said this collaboration help the national program achieve its desire goal for reducing the malaria burden in the country.

Since the arrival of the new WHO Country Representative to Liberia, Dr. Eugene Nyarko, the WHO country office has increase its technical and financial support to the NMCP, thereby helping to address the gaps that the Global Funds did covered.

AllAfrica.com
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