AWARDS

Four Leading Malaria Research Institutions In Africa Win International Awards.

Four leading organisations in the fight against malaria in Africa have been bestowed with the 2008 Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation. They are Kintampo Health Research Centre (Ghana), the Ifakara Health Research and Development Centre (Tanzania), the Malaria Research and Training Centre (Mali), and the Manhiça Centre of Health Research (Mozambique)

The four organizations were selected for standing out in their advances in the search for a vaccine against this disease, as well as for their training programmes for professionals in this field. Their contribution to improvements in medical care in the countries in which they are to be found have meant that the terrible consequences of this illness can be lessened.

A total of 26 candidatures from Cape Verde, Ghana, Iceland, Ireland, Luxemburg, Mali, Mozambique, Portugal, Tanzania, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, and Spain ran for the award this year.

The Prince of Asturias Foundation's statutes establish that the aim of the Awards is to acknowledge and extol "scientific, technical, cultural, social and humanistic work carried out by individuals, groups or institutions worldwide".

The Manhiça Health Research Centre, in Mozambique, was founded in 1996 by the Spanish doctor, Pedro Alonso, who currently directs the centre together with his wife, Clara Menéndez

This is the second of eight Prince of Asturias Awards to be bestowed this year. Each of the Prince of Asturias Awards, which date back to 1981, is endowed with 50,000 Euros, a commissioned sculpture donated by Joan Miró, a diploma and an insignia. The awards will be presented in the autumn in Oviedo at a grand ceremony chaired by H.R.H. the Prince of Asturias.
Source: fpa

FIRST WORLD MALARIA DAY STORIES

Africa Failing To Contain Malaria-UN Secretary General
By Louis Charbonneau

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said some African countries have fallen behind in the fight against malaria, which the World Health Organization estimates kills 1.3 million people each year, mostly children under age 5.
African countries hardest hit by malaria are failing to contain it and a new U.N. campaign launched on the first World Malaria Day aims to ensure that all Africa has access to basic malaria control measures.

"In recent years, several African countries have made dramatic strides in malaria control, but the most affected nations remain off track to reach the goal of halting and reversing the incidence of the disease," Ban said."We need desperately to step up our efforts to roll back malaria."

Ban said he wanted all of Africa to have enough mosquito nets or quality household sprays for the entire population by December 31, 2010, along with sufficient malaria clinics and preventative treatment centers for high-risk pregnant women.
"This initiative will offer indoor residual spraying, and bed nets treated with long-lasting insecticide, to all people at risk, especially women and children in Africa," Ban said.
Source: Reuters

Will Africa Be Ready for a Malaria Vaccine?
By Dr. Pascoal Mocumbi

A vaccine against malaria, something that a few years ago we could only dream about, could be a reality in the next five years.
Results of a clinical trial in Mozambique reported in 2007 showed that the most advanced malaria vaccine-GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Biologicals' RTS,S-provided similar protection in infants against infection and illness as it had shown previously in children ages one to four.

Additional testing is underway in Mozambique and six other sites in four countries in sub-Saharan Africa, with support from the US-based PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative and its partners, including GSK.

This testing will provide the data needed to move into a large, multi-center Phase 3 trial, which is currently scheduled to begin toward the end of this year. If all goes well, the vaccine could be submitted for review in 2011 to the European Medicines Evaluation Agency in collaboration with the World Health Organization.

While this timeline is exciting, it presents a challenge to Africa. It would be very frustrating indeed to produce a safe and effective malaria vaccine only to have its introduction delayed by an inability to objectively determine whether it is appropriate for our country and our people.

The price of our delay could be measured in unnecessary deaths and illness from malaria. In the fight against malaria-and in dealing with any new medical advance-such delays are not uncommon

Dr. Pascoal Mocumbi is the former Prime Minister of Mozambique and current High Representative of the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership Programme (EDCTP).

Source: Vanguard. Lagos

Intensify Fight Against Malaria- AMMREN Tells African Leaders
By Michael Addo

African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN), a network of African journalists, and scientists working together to eradicate malaria in Africa, has made giant moves to pursue its goals, of achieving malaria-free communities in the region.
As part of these great moves, AMMREN, organized a three days workshop for its members, through which they made field trips to some communities at Prampram and Dodowa, to discover how the hospitals were dealing with malaria cases, and the process involved in its treatment.

The network further offered education to the inhabitants on how best they could prevent, and live in their communities free from malaria infection.

On the last day of the workshop, which marked World Malaria Day, the network observed the day under the theme; 'Malaria, a disease without borders,' and applauded the global efforts of governments, and other stakeholders, to Roll Back Malaria in Africa.

AMMREN used the occasion to remind African leaders of their pledge, made in Abuja, Nigeria on 25th April, 2000, to intensify efforts to halve malaria mortality in Africa by 2010. At the said meeting, AMMREN, noted that the 53 African Heads of State and Governments present, committed themselves to initiate appropriate, and sustainable action to strengthen health systems, to ensure that by the year 2005, at least 60% of those suffering from malaria, have prompt access to, and are able to correctly use, affordable and appropriate treatment, within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms.

AMMREN complained that "eight years down the line, not much has been achieved, and that 90% of the world's Malaria deaths, of children under 5 years, still occur in Africa, a situation that should be worrying to all Africans”.

Anticipating future increases in malaria deaths, the Network called on heads of states, and governments in Africa, to implement well-coordinated, integrated countrywide programmes, to drastically reduce the rate of malaria infection in Africa.
They asked that more money be provided for malaria research, to assist policy-makers in their planning efforts, towards malaria control.

Source: Ghanaian Chronicle