Initiatives on Malaria: something for discussion
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Source: malaria@wehi.edu.au
Dear Colleagues,
I recently have been wondering if the Multilateral Initiative on Ma-
laria is actually going anywhere in terms of concrete new programs to
tackle the resurgence of malaria. I remember seeing a call for propos-
als some time ago in Nature and other publications, but I haven't heard
or seen much of late. I suspect that this has been another exercise in
various aid agencies "being seen to do something", without any real
commitment to follow through. I expect that some representatives of
some of these agencies may reply and declare that they have been hold-
ing important meetings and drafting reports with strategies, but is
anything new really in place and being implemented?
I think that a concerted approach to malaria research and control (I
view the former as still being necessary to achieve the latter) is a
good idea, at least on theoretical grounds, as malaria programs have
probably suffered in recent times from being too many separate efforts
of many individuals with academic or scientific interest in malaria the
disease, but not necessarily in malaria as a major stumbling block to
meaningful improvement in basic health in developing nations.
It has been apparent, at least to me and some of my colleagues, that
the WHO has been moribund with respect to malaria for many years and
shows no clear signs of renewed leadership and co-ordination. The over-
whelming bureaucracy and ponderous nature of decision making with re-
spect to research funding there has been the death knell of a number of
worthwhile projects and a source of great frustration and wasted time/
effort for many scientists. (Perhaps it is starting to change and I am
now wrong - I can be convinced!)
As a Canadian citizen, I take a certain amount of national blame for
the withering of basic public health spending. My own country has dras-
tically shrunk funds for International Development in the last few
years, except in specific areas where it can be clearly demonstrated
that a Canadian $ given in aid will return > 1$ in profits to a Cana-
dian company. There is no long term thinking and investment in helping
poorer nations to really deal with their basic health problems so that
they can become better trade partners in the future. I suspect that my
own country is not alone in this sort of unwritten policy. Most wealthy
nations confine their so-called aid programs to targeted areas that
business feels will generate immediate spin-offs or fund research proj-
ects which are directly relevant to treating returning expatriates who
bring back some tropical ailment. Of course, there are exceptions, but
my view is that this is the prevailing attitude.
What can be done, besides the frequent gathering of scientists, doctors
and other public health professionals at hand waving exercises where we
reaffirm what is already well known, i.e. malaria work is woefully un-
der-funded and not a priority reflective of its importance in imprison-
ing the potential of so many developing nations? (Just for perspective,
the world budget for malaria research and control is somewhere in the
ballpark of $100 million USD - compare this with the more than $75 mil-
lion USD spent annually for mosquito control {mostly for nuisance rea-
sons) just in the state of Florida).
It seemed that the Multilateral Initiative on Malaria was a step in the
right direction to generating an international coalition that might
have the political clout to lobby for significant international funding
for malaria research and control, BUT has it gone further than that
first step?
For what it's worth.
Regards,
Robert A. Anderson, Ph.D.
Department of Zoology
Institute of Biology
University of Arhus
Universitetsparken B135
8000 Arhus C, Denmark
Tel: +45 89 42 27 71
Fax: +45 86 12 51 75
mailto:anderson@bio.aau.dk
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