The Associated Press reports “a 40 percent increase, to $4.5 billion, for fighting AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis overseas” from the new US Congress. This was especially amazing given both the stiff competition among various programs, as well as what the AP observed to be strong efforts to control spending on special projects known as earmarks.… Continue reading New Spending – Good News for Malaria
Research Needs for Malaria in Pregnancy
The Lancet Infectious Diseases had a recent special issue on malaria in pregnancy (MIP). Of special interest is an article by Greenwood et al. (2007) that outlines some of our knowledge gaps in MIP and hence the need for future research. One important research question is “The importance of malaria as a cause of maternal… Continue reading Research Needs for Malaria in Pregnancy
Politicians stress NGO involvement in malaria control
A theme of non-governmental actors in the battle against malaria was echoed by two politicians recently. One stressed the importance of NGOs at the national level, while the second emphasized the role of non-governmental players on the international scene. Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, one of Nigeria’s presidential candidates, asked civil society groups in the country… Continue reading Politicians stress NGO involvement in malaria control
Rapid Diagnostic Tests – Costs and Consequences
A few years ago a colleague who works for a large corporation in Nigeria showed me malaria diagnosis laboratory results from their company clinics. The company was able to test workers and family members in their labs after a clinical diagnosis of malaria and before dispensing drugs. Over a span of 5 years only 20-25%… Continue reading Rapid Diagnostic Tests – Costs and Consequences
Malaria Funding Battle Continues
It is hard to argue against principles of fiscal responsibility – except where lives are at stake. What some might have thought was a somewhat simple matter of continuing the US Government’s Fiscal Year 2006 budget through FY 2007 now appears to be provoking potentially long debates in the US Congress. Associated Press notes that… Continue reading Malaria Funding Battle Continues
Home Management of Malaria in the Era of ACTs
The current Newsletter of the Tropical Disease Research (TDR) Program highlights the role home management of fever/malaria can have in reducing the deaths of over one million children annually. TDR notes the value of having child doses prepackaged in order to enhance provision of the correct amount of medicine to children. The Newsletter quotes Professor… Continue reading Home Management of Malaria in the Era of ACTs
Malaria Drugs in Nigeria: Policy Change, Prescription Change
An article by Mokuolu et al. in the January 2007 issue of the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, reports on changes in malaria drug sales before and after the issuance of the new national antimalarials drug policy. Data come from doctors’ prescriptions at University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital pharmacy in Kwara State. The… Continue reading Malaria Drugs in Nigeria: Policy Change, Prescription Change
Ghana Monitors its Malaria Progress
According to the Ghana Chronicle of 24 January 2007, the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) reports that the number of child deaths due to malaria has been cut in half. The achievement is credited to the country’s grant from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM).  Ghana is the recipient of two… Continue reading Ghana Monitors its Malaria Progress
Words Count – Does Malaria?
Most people anticipated President Bush’s State of the Union Speech for clues about the direction of war or domestic policy. Obviously we at Voices for a Malaria Free Future were anticipating news on the fate of the President’s Malaria Initiative, which is threatened by lack of adequate funds if the fiscal year 2006 budget levels… Continue reading Words Count – Does Malaria?
Malaria Funding Threatened
Canadian Press has reported that, “A Canadian program that’s saved thousands of Africans from deadly malaria has been scaled back while federal officials decide whether to renew funding.â€Â These funds had been used by the Canadian Red Cross and UNICEF to run bed net distribution program in several countries.Of even greater concern is the willingness… Continue reading Malaria Funding Threatened