The way forward for malaria eradication

Dr. Fatoumata Nafo-Traoré, Executive Director of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership (RBM), gave the conference "The way forward for malaria eradication", last talk of the core module of the "Science of eradication Malaria" course.

Nafo-Traoré talked about what "we have learned during the course to eradicate this illness". The key lesson is that a public health service is needed to support malaria surveillance, control and elimination have to be support by on-going research and the communities have to be actively involved and part of the solution to their health problems, among others.

A global framework for coordinated actions was launched in 1998 by WHO, UNICEF, UNDP and World Bank. The Roll Back Malaria has diversity of partners, like NGOs, private sector, Foundations, Donor Countries, and Research and Academia.

"These are the goals: reduce the number of global malaria cases, and reduce the global malaria deaths to near zero by 2015, said Nafo-Traoré.

"What happens with the malaria agenda? There are nine research areas, but the main are monitoring, evaluation and surveillance and modelling and cross-cutting issues", specified the Executive Director of RBM.

The key areas for the way forward to malaria eradication are the vaccines that must to be refined. Also the drugs, like the prophylaxis. About the diagnostic, it is necessary the increase of sensitivity threshold. The transmissions measurement must be rapid, sensitive, standardized and reproducible.

Refining the economic models

"The traditional public health is rationale not helpful. It is based on economic investments return. Malaria elimination is fragile, it is necessary to raise awareness", she said. "How we organised the things? Support countries in their move for control to elimination and anticipate challenges to prevent the reintroduction".

Challeges to be overcome

An effective health system is essential to malaria control and elimination. It is necessary the malaria elimination to strengthen the health system. "The case of Swaziland shows that it is possible to eliminate it and it can be done in most of the countries. New tools are necessaries. The important challenges can be overcome but it is necessary a greater leadership and commitment", concluded Nafo-Traoré.