Of discussion last week in the UK: Accelerating efforts to shrink the malaria map

Our Director, Sir Richard Feachem – head of the UCSF Global Health Group – was in London last week for a parliamentary roundtable discussion. Speaking alongside Dr. Mark Dybul, Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Dr. Feachem remarked on the UK’s crucial role in supporting the global fight against malaria and the opportunity for lifesaving gains to continue, in partnership with the Global Fund.

Sir Richard’s malaria journey started 50 years ago when he was struck down with severe malaria in the Solomon Islands. He was far from medical attention and easily could have died. This is how most people in the world get malaria – far from medical attention – and many do die, mostly children. In fact, a young life is lost to malaria every two minutes.

Since then, he has been part of a historic campaign to shrink the world’s malaria map. Today, more than 30 countries around the world are working to eliminate malaria by going from low to no malaria transmission, and more than 20 of these countries are on track to end transmission of the disease by 2020.

Check out this Reuters article authored by Sir Richard to learn more about the shrinking malaria map, the importance of a strong Global Fund, and Canada’s announcement earlier this week that it will increase its contribution to the Global Fund by 20%.