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Comment for Malaria Action Plan GMAP2

As a comment to Bart's Blog, I would like to add our thoughts as requested by the Secretariat. The document was sent in before the deadline, so I hope it was read, and raises some thoughts.

GMAP2 Document

Based on the consultative process so far (regional consultations, national and community level consultations, online survey responses, in-depth interviews, and a document review) seven areas where the GMAP2 document could usefully provide recommendations for action have been identified.

Durable malaria elimination - a picture is worth a thousand words

As is seen from the picture below, the national malaria elimination campaign, begun in 1922 in Palestine, clearly worked.
For different aspects of this campaign generally, see Aspects of the malaria elimination .
But in particular, for what was so unique that made this malaria elimination so durable, see Durability .

Survey on methods for improving idea generation and innovation among early-career researchers in Africa

Many low and middle-income communities still lack affordable and scalable solutions for their priority health needs. We are aiming to improve generation of new ideas and technological innovation by early-career researchers in Africa, specifically in the health sector. As a step in the process, we wish to conduct an analysis of expert opinion on best strategies for encouraging these early-career scientists so that they can better identify priority health problems in their communities, and generate new ideas to address these problems.

New Cochrane Review and Protocol published (2015, Issue 1)

Hello all,

We've had a good start to the new year here at the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group (https://cidg.cochrane.org/), with one new Cochrane Review and one new Cochrane Protocol published, which may be of interest to Malaria World members.

2015, Issue 1 (Cochrane Reviews and Protocols published 1 to 31 January 2015):

New Cochrane Review: Intermittent preventive antimalarial treatment for children with anaemia (Athuman M, Kabanywanyi AM, Rohwer AC)

http://ow.ly/Iq0qS

Effect of dams on malaria - rethinking

I had written on this topic sometime ago. My present research on dams and malaria in Africa triggered me to invoke some more thoughts (http://www.malariajournal.com/content/14/1/339). Several dams are under construction in sub-Saharan Africa. According to FAO database, some 118 dams are currently under construction while several more are planned. My analysis indicated that over half (57%) of these dams are located in areas with unstable/seasonal malaria. Previous studies indicated that dams in unstable semi-arid areas intensify malaria transmission.

Artequick: programmed for failure

The competitive product Artequick which the Chinese launched against Coartem and Coarsucam is now confronted by resistance like any other monotherapy. A letter to the editor by DL Saunders et al., in NEJM July 2014 describes the dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine failure in Cambodia. The drug was adopted as first line treatment in this country in 2010. Three years later the efficacy has decreased from 92% to 64%. At 72 hours 56% of patients still had persistent parasitemia.

World War 1 and Malaria

As this year is the centenary of the start of World War 1, perhaps readers may be interested to see how malaria may have changed the outcome of the war had the Turkish army managed to hang on after the last battle in 1918, as the British Army collapsed from malaria two weeks after that battle. See http://www.eradication-of-malaria.com/ww1-malaria.html This may be used to serve as a reminder to those who choose to ignore the disease and treat it casually.

Anti Mosquito Soap

Tags:

malaria, malaria prevention, Africa, donate

Osana is a small, all natural anti mosquito soap. You simply wash with this bar of soap to keep mosqito away.

We are passionate about providing a non toxic solution to protect people naturally, as well as creating a sustainable product with no negative side effects.

OPEN ACCESS New Cochrane Review

Hello all,

Several recently published Cochrane Reviews from the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group may of interest to Malaria World members:

Artemether for severe malaria (new review) http://ow.ly/CEOQi
Drugs for preventing malaria in pregnant women in endemic areas: any drug regimen versus placebo or no treatment (updated review) http://ow.ly/CEPri

Best wishes,
Dee

http://cidg.cochrane.org/our-reviews</p>

The years teach much that the days never knew. (Unknown source)

“The years teach much that the days never knew” (Unknown source)

Pedro Alonso to replace Rob Newman at GMP

I am pleased to see that Pedro will take over the hard task that Rob Newman left. Rob was instrumental in bringing the Global Malaria Programme back to life, and now I would like to see it expand its influence. When one looks at the various malaria control operations in various countries and read the various blogs etc, it is apparent that there is a lack of coordination, and in most instances there are several agencies, donors, major players and national personalities operating.

Does Malaria Make Poverty, or Vice Versa?

About two years ago i met a friend who introduced me to the Bahai Faith, before then i had been a dormant Presbytarian. The ideals of the Bahai Faith have had so much impact in my life as a person. Anyhoo i came across this article, thought i would share it with you all.

Injectable artesunate: cure or killer?

A document in Scientific American (June 2014) describes the activities of MVV Medecines for Malaria Ventures, a « non profit » organization (association sans but lucratif) located at Geneva. It is surprising to learn that they sell Artesunate in monotherapy for intravenous injection at high doses ; in cooperation with WHO and Médecins sans Frontières.

Prestigious NWO-Vidi grant to start a new malaria research group

Dear friends & colleagues,
I am extremely honoured, proud, and happy to announce that I have been awarded a prestigious Vidi grant from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) to start my own independent malaria research lab in Nijmegen. Below follows a press release providing further details.
Taco

malaria and local blogging

Why is there so little blogging about malaria from a local perspective? Those who live in regions of endemic malaria are not writing about it. As a result, it is hard to follow progress in combating malaria in a particular region. For example, I have an interest in malaria in western Kenya. However, it is difficult to know what programs are in place there, who is involved, what progress has been made. I am willing to bet that there is not a single blog anywhere where people living in an endemic region talk about malaria.

En Francais - Do you see patients with cerebral malaria? ...Or know someone who does?

------------- Enquête sur le diagnostic du neuropaludisme--------------------
Nous sommes un groupe de médecins de l'université Duke aux États-Unis et de l'Université de Liverpool au Royaume-Uni. Notre objectif étant de mieux comprendre comment les médecins parviennent à poser un diagnostic de neuropaludisme, nous avons réalisé une enquête à ce sujet.

OPEN ACCESS New Cochrane Review on malaria intervention

Tags:

Cochrane, malaria, artesunate

New Cochrane Review released today: Pre-referral rectal artesunate for severe malaria. Full text, open access article available here: http://ow.ly/xnzIL

Plain language summary

Need for some effective coordination in malaria control interventions

Wherever malaria has been eliminated, success was likely to have been based on the interplay of a series of mechanisms. In the United States it may have coincided with the advent of residual insecticides, but there were a variety of factors associated with the success. These were seasonal changes, environmental factors, political decisions that affected where people could live, the advent of improved treatments and increase in wealth and improvement of living standards. The same can be said of Italy and much of Europe in the early part of the 20th Century.

A need for coordination of projects, donors and various players

I feel that we should start a conversation about coordination. I attended Malaria Day here in Baltimore last week, and one still hears people speaking as if all we have to do is send more nets to Africa! Africa is swimming in nets, in fact there are NO plans that one hears of to REPLACE (key word) expended of torn nets in anything but an ad hoc manner. Yet Anopheles funestus (resistant to pyrethoids) is appearing all over Eastern and Southern Africa.

World Malaria Day - Special Collection available from Cochrane Library

It is World Malaria Day today (Friday 25 April), and to help raise awareness there are two new Special Collections available from The Cochrane Library - one for malaria diagnosis and treatment, and one for prevention and control.

http://www.thecochranelibrary.com/details/collection/6117011/Malaria-dia...

OPEN ACCESS New Cochrane Review on malaria interventions

Hello,

A new open access Cochrane Review was released earlier this month by John Odaga et al. that may be of interest to Malaria World members:

Rapid diagnostic tests versus clinical diagnosis for managing people with fever in malaria endemic settings

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD008998.pub2/abstra...

Treatments in remote areas urgent to meet Millennium Development Goals

Tags:

community health workers, millennium development goals

Integrated Community Case Management (iCCM) is a strategy that enables those living beyond the reach of health facilities to access lifesaving treatments. It should be a national priority and an integral part of national health sector plans, a recent symposium in Ghana has concluded.

Open access Cochrane Reviews of malaria interventions

Tags:

Cochrane, malaria

Hello,

Recently, we at the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group (CIDG) have published several systematic reviews of malaria interventions which may be of interest to Malaria World members. Each of the reviews are open access and are listed below:

• Mass drug administration for malaria

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD008846.pub2/abstract

• Larvivorous fish for preventing malaria transmission

Deputy Director, Malaria & Child Survival

PSI is seeking an experienced, dynamic Deputy Director of its Malaria and Child Survival Department (MCSD) to oversee PSI’s rapidly expanding portfolio of MCS programs. PSI is one of the largest global health organizations and its malaria and child survival programs account for about half of its business.

What was that species?

Sir Ronald Ross discovered the seeds of malaria on the gut walls of a mosquito. What was the species? Was it An. stephensi or An. rossi? Has the riddle been already solved? Please share your thoughts.

Malaria testing not a simple fix in the private sector

Drug shops offering quick diagnostic tests for malaria can improve treatment, but regulation by authorities is also needed, researchers warn.

Read the story and the article at: http://www.actconsortium.org/news.php/66/malaria-testing-not-a-simple-fix-in-the-private-sector

Malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are simple tools to diagnose malaria accurately and can help health workers in remote locations to prescribe the correct treatment. But introducing RDTs into the private sector may have complex, unexpected consequences for patients.

Malaria testing not a simple fix in the private sector

Drug shops offering quick diagnostic tests for malaria can improve treatment, but regulation by authorities is also needed, researchers warn.

Read the story and the article at: http://www.actconsortium.org/news.php/66/malaria-testing-not-a-simple-fix-in-the-private-sector

Last week at MalariaWorld:

Enjoy this week's MalariaWorld - the MW team.

Do you see patients with cerebral malaria? ...Or know someone who does?

Tags:

cerebral malaria, diagnosis, RDTs, research, study, survey

If you care for patients with cerebral malaria or know someone who does, then we would appreciate your help in distributing this short survey.
Please use the following link to complete the survey: Cerebral Malaria Diagnosis Survey

I am an ophthalmologist with a background in malaria biology, and I am leading a survey study to understand how clinicians diagnose cerebral malaria.

In search of a postdoc position

Hello colleagues!
I'll be finishing a one-year postdoc at Cornell university.
My work here focused on behavioral assays on Aedes albopictus to try and improve our understanding of visual cues that aid the gravid females in locating and selecting an oviposition site.
As of July 1st I will available to begin a new position.
My masters and PhD work (Alon Warburg's lab, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem) involved sand fly ecology and control and leishmaniasis transmission dynamics in an emerging focus. My publications are available on line.

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