Initiatives on Malaria ... (6)
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Dear Colleagues and friends,
Allow me to react to the recent discussions on AFRO-NETS regarding the
MIM. I would like to speak from two perspectives:
1. As a basic researcher on Plasmodium (not even malaria) from 1980 to
1993;
2. As a recently developing bureaucrat in two bodies supporting malaria
research (The EC and the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Re-
search (NWO)
Let me first confirm what some other colleagues have brought into the
discussion: We (as malaria researchers) have been fighting each other
too much and have realised much too late that our field needs a strong
lobby, like the people in nuclear physics and agriculture have under-
stood much better. This is certainly one of many factors leading to the
present awful under-funding of malaria research. MIM has the potential
to break through this terrible state of the 'art', as it is NOT (as
suggested) an initiative entirely designed by scientists for scien-
tists, but an alliance between scientists and 'their' funders, where
both have treated each other as part of the same process and not as
'arrogant scientists' on the one hand and 'stupid bureaucrats' on the
other hand.
I was negatively struck by the remark in the contribution of Robert An-
derson, which shows the lethal arrogance of many scientists towards
their sources of funding: the bureaucrats. The new way to survive in
modern science (and science management) is to approach (former) scien-
tists in the funding agencies as a serious speaking partner. The tone
in Roberts contribution does not help the field in any way.
Let me try to give you now my new perspective as a recently hatched bu-
reaucrat. I believe strongly that there is an important new elan for
malaria in many agencies, ranging from basic malaria research funders
to bodies financing control. These agencies are the ones collaborating
in MIM. It is ABSOLUTELY unfair if not CRAZY to expect that after a
start of MIM which was plagued by many unresolved and partly unforeseen
difficulties arising from cultural differences between agencies and
continents, should result in tangible outcomes within a few months af-
ter the meeting in London, where the initial strategy for MIM finally
crystallised. The fact that the original organisers of the Dakar Con-
ference have placed a call for letters of interest to get a better pic-
ture what would be desirable and feasible if a new initiative would
generate substantial extra funds should be seen as a daring thing for
bureaucrats to do and does not deserve the arrogant reaction radiating
from some of these contributions.
Very positive (though modest) actions as the one from TDR (with funds
from other agencies as well, first sign of real collaboration) which is
completed within one year after the conception of the call for letters
of interest (for proposals) is record speed and deserves to be ap-
plauded. I can assure you that many agencies have in-house and collabo-
rative plans developing to strengthen the fields of malaria research
AND CONTROL, and that those collaborating in the MIM have bridging the
gap between research and control high on the agenda. This would also
make the field much more credible to politicians who finally decide on
more funding.
I have made the same mistake several times myself as a scientist: To
complain about the stupid bureaucrats who take twice as long as needed
for everything and make things unnecessary complicated for us as bril-
liant scientists. Instead they should be thanking us on their knees
that they are allowed to support such ground breaking science as we do.
This is however not the real world.......
SO... I believe we all want MIM to be a success ? STOP saying what you
DON'T want, tell each other what you WANT and let's make it happen.
Only if basic researchers, control people and funders join in the lobby
for malaria to achieve its rightful place on the local and global po-
litical agendas the field will make a come back. The Malaria Foundation
(see reaction of Mary Galinski) provides us with a new forum for that.
USE IT !
Barend Mons
If you want to read more about what a few of us intimately involved
from the beginning think about the process driving MIM, please read our
recent article.
Mons, B., Klasen E.C., Van Kessel, R.R., & Nchinda, T., Scientific
Partnership between South and North Crystallises around Malaria, Sci-
ence, 1998, January 23; 279 (5350):498
If you are interested but do not have direct access to 'Science',
please let me know so I can paste the rough text in a message to you or
attach the file.
Jan van 't Land
Medical Council / Organisation for The Advancement of Tropical Research
Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO)
P.O.Box 93138
2509 AC Den Haag
The Netherlands
Tel: +31-70-344-0603
Fax: +31-70-385-0971
mailto:land@nwo.nl
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