Malaria in the Media: January 2022

As 2022 kicks off, the malaria community is already buzzing with news. Global leaders have reflected on the data and trends presented in the 2021 World Malaria Report, and outlined steps that will be needed to stay on target for malaria eradication. Across the world, scientists and researchers are studying mosquito lifecycles and making remarkable innovations to better treat the deadly disease. Read more about the fight to end malaria in this month’s Malaria in the Media report.

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Malaria deaths rise by 69,000 in 2020 due to COVID-19 disruptions, says WHO

— By Reuters

“Healthcare disruptions linked to the coronavirus pandemic helped malaria kill 69,000 more people in 2020 than the previous year, but a worst-case scenario was averted, the World Health Organization said on Monday.”

COVID-19 has derailed progress on malaria — here’s what we need to do to get back on track

— The Hill

Dr. Raj Panjabi: “Protect the frontlines. Reach the unreached. Scale up delivery of the new malaria vaccine while developing new and better tools. These actions can put us back on track to end history’s oldest and deadliest pandemic.”

How Nigeria Is Beating Back Fake Malaria Drugs

— Forbes

“The proliferation of SF medicines risks reversing the hard-won progress on curbing malaria.  It’s been estimated that 116,000 people die in sub-Saharan Africa each year because of counterfeit malaria drugs. In other words, over a quarter of all deaths from malaria are linked to fraudulent meds.”

We studied the sounds of mosquitoes’ mating rituals – our findings could help fight malaria

—  The Conversation

“To reduce the burden of disease from malaria and other mosquito-borne illnesses, we need to continue to develop effective tools to control mosquito populations. A prime target is their mid-air copulation.”

What will it take to outsmart malaria?

— Gates Foundation

“Building on the breakthrough malaria vaccine approved this year, a robust pipeline of next-generation anti-malaria tools will be crucial to getting ahead of malaria and forging ahead toward its eradication.”

WATCH

Swedish lab develops poison for mosquitoes to fight malaria

— AFP News

“By isolating a molecule in the malaria parasite that only attracts mosquitoes, and mixing it in beetroot juice alongside toxins that kill the insects, the resulting mixture attracts the mosquitoes to feed and then kills them.”

World malaria report 2021 – reflections from WHO’s malaria director 

— World Health Organization

Dr. Pedro Alonso, Director of the WHO Global Malaria Programme: “With the tools we have right now, we can save lives and we have saved lives. But we cannot imagine that we will go on making the type of progress that is needed. We need also technological tools. We need new vaccines. We need new medicines.”

LISTEN

Covid-Shot Technology May Soon Treat Malaria, HIV or Even Cancer

— Bloomberg

“Covid-19 is just the beginning for messenger RNA vaccines. Researchers are testing shots across a range of diseases, from cancer to malaria, HIV to multiple sclerosis. While there’s no guarantee the technology will work for such afflictions, if it does, it will transform medicine.”

Malaria: what’s in it for the mosquito?

— BBC

“Ann Carr, working with Laurence Zwiebel at Vanderbilt University, reports in the journal Nature Scientific Reports how they managed to discover a mutual symbiotic relationship between the plasmodium and the mosquito.”