Global Health Sciences

About the GHG's Malaria Elimination Initiative

The GHG's Malaria Elimination Initiative was established to provide intellectual and practical guidance, advocacy and support to countries embarked upon, or considering embarking on, a path to elimination. The GHG supports progressive elimination of malaria, working inwards from the natural geographic margins of the disease, as a complimentary strategy to the significant investment in scaled up malaria control efforts in endemic countries, currently being led by a network of global partners.

Global and Regional Efforts

Wilton Park Releases Conference Report: “Malaria: Getting to Zero”

In April 2009, a diverse group of global health leaders came together to attend the “Malaria: Getting to Zero” conference at Wilton Park, U.K., sponsored by the Exxon Mobil Corporation and the GHG. Country leaders, private sector partners, funders, implementers, researchers and journalists convened to discuss two ambitious global goals: achieving zero deaths from malaria in high-burden countries, and achieving zero transmission of malaria (elimination) in low-burden countries. The new report is a digest of the participants’ conversations, exploring current progress, future challenges, and long and short-term control and elimination strategies. Click here to read the conference report.

Malaria Elimination Group (MEG)

The Malaria Elimination Group (MEG) is a group of 45 international experts, convened by the GHG to elaborate the scientific, clinical, technical, operational, economic and programmatic issues that countries need to consider when embarking on a pathway to malaria elimination. MEG is convened by the Global Health Group (GHG), and is chaired by GHG Director, Sir Richard Feachem.

On April 24, 2009, the GHG announced the publication of two major documents on malaria elimination. The guidance provided in these documents offers detailed information to help countries decide whether, when, and how to eliminate malaria. The documents were written by members of the Malaria Elimination Group, a global body of experts convened by the GHG to provide practical guidance to countries that pursue elimination.

Shrinking the Malaria Map: A Prospectus on Malaria Elimination provides a road map for those working on the front lines of malaria control and elimination. It reviews the operational, technical, and financial decisions that need to be considered for an elimination program.

Shrinking the Malaria Map: A Guide on Malaria Elimination for Policy Makers is a policy digest of the Prospectus, intended for leaders and policy makers.

Global Health Experts Release New Guidance on Malaria Elimination
Press release, Friday, April 24, 2009
[en français]

World Malaria Day 2009 Launch of Malaria Elimination Publications - Select Media Coverage

New Resource Website for Malaria Elimination

On April 24, 2009, on behalf of the Malaria Elimination Group, the GHG launched a new website (www.malariaeliminationgroup.org), which provides information about malaria elimination, and links to elimination efforts around the world.

Asia Pacific Malaria Elimination Network (APMEN)

The Asia Pacific Malaria Elimination Network (APMEN) was launched in February 2009 to provide advocacy and support for elimination efforts in its ten Asia Pacific member countries, with a particular focus on the elimination of P.vivax malaria.

“Elimination Eight” (E8) Regional Initiative

On March 2-3, 2009, the Ministry of Health and Social Services in Namibia hosted the “Elimination Eight” (E8) Malaria Elimination Ministerial Meeting, bringing together the eight southern-most malarious countries in Africa, to discuss opportunities for greater regional collaboration to eliminate the disease.

Support for Countries

The GHG is currently working with partners in several countries and regions around the world, including Melanesia, southern Africa, and China, assisting countries in developing their strategic plans for elimination, and preparing for implementation. Assistance includes level of feasibility assessments and management support for strategic planning efforts, data collection and analysis, stakeholder development, funding acquisition and identification and resolution of bottlenecks.

Advocacy & Lesson Sharing

Three of the GHG's major goals are to increase global awareness of country elimination efforts, to advocate for research and funding for tools to support enhanced control, and eventually elimination of malaria, and to support country efforts through rigorous monitoring and evaluation, and the sharing of experiences and lessons learned. Through linking of MEG experts with country planning teams, documentation and sharing of lessons learned, and forging direct connections between country teams, GHG staff are currently facilitating sharing of information between Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland, Zanzibar, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, China and others, as well as with global agency partners, to advance development and success of elimination plans. Shared topics include the costs of elimination programs, diagnostic strategies, monitoring and evaluation frameworks, and methodologies for preventing reintroduction.

Funding

The GHG Malaria Elimination Initiative is funded through a startup grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and a 3-year, $3.5 million grant from the ExxonMobil Foundation to expand its support for malaria elimination efforts in southern Africa.

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