Join PATH at the 7th Multilateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM) Conference in Dakar – April 15-20, 2018
PATH experts to share new research and innovations in tackling the malaria epidemic globally
Media contact: Kate Davidson | media@path.org
Photo: PATH/Gabe Bienczycki
PATH malaria experts will join thousands of leaders and scientists from over 70 countries at the 7th Multilateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM) Conference in Dakar, Senegal, April 15-20. At the conference, PATH researchers will share new research in malaria diagnostics, drugs, and vaccines and share insights on how these tools are being used to accelerate the fight against malaria both globally and within sub-Saharan Africa.
The 7th MIM Conference will have the theme "Dakar II: Two decades of progress, challenges and perspectives in ending malaria" and address the fact that despite incredible progress in the fight against malaria, there is still an urgent need for new innovations to end the epidemic for good. At the MIM Conference, PATH leaders will present at eight symposia, five scientific sessions, and will showcase five posters on all aspects of PATH's malaria portfolio, from diagnostics and vaccines to drugs and systems and services. As a proud partner of Senegal's national malaria control program, PATH will also share progress that has been made against malaria in the MIM conference's host country. See the MIM program for the full schedule.
PATH presentations include updates on:
Vaccines
The malaria parasite is complex and adaptable, and it has survived for millennia. A safe, effective, and affordable malaria vaccine would help close the gap left by other interventions. PATH has played a leading role in advancing the conversation in key areas of malaria vaccine development.
At the MIM Conference, PATH experts will present several breakthroughs in malaria vaccine development and introduction. A symposium on the Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme (MVIP) will provide updates on the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine that will be implemented in selected areas of Ghana, Kenya and Malawi later this year. PATH leaders will present new research on the development of vaccines to prevent transmission in support of malaria elimination and on the potential of monoclonal antibodies as a supplemental tool to accelerate elimination. They will also join other top malaria experts for a panel discussion on malaria vaccines.
Diagnostics
New diagnostic tools are critical to ending the malaria epidemic. PATH has worked for years to develop new, more sensitive tests that will detect lower numbers of parasites in the bloodstream. PATH and our partners are advancing new ultrasensitive tests that are capable of detecting these low-density infections. PATH is also working with manufacturers to advance point-of-care G6PD diagnostics, which facilitate safe treatment of P. vivax malaria. At MIM, these partners will meet to discuss research findings and plans for measuring the impact of new ultrasensitive tests in malaria elimination strategies.
Systems and Services
To develop the science that will help to eliminate malaria in Africa, PATH is piloting new strategies with the goal of developing a package of approaches that are adoptable and adaptable across the region. These include strategies to stop the transmission of the malaria parasite from humans to mosquitoes and back again through community-wide treatment. PATH is collaborating closely with endemic countries to create malaria-free zones, the first step on the path to elimination.
PATH presentations on systems and services at the MIM Conference will include:
- A cluster-randomized trial assessing impacts and cost-effectiveness of combining indoor residual spraying with long-lasting insecticide-treated nets for malaria control in central Mozambique
- Assessing the feasibility of malaria burden reduction and elimination in Senegal and The Gambia: Application of the Elimination Scenario Planning Tool
- Visualizing the path to malaria elimination in Zambia
Malaria in Senegal
Since 2009, PATH has worked with Senegal's malaria control program to eliminate malaria nationwide. The Malaria Control and Elimination Partnership in Africa (MACEPA) program has supported national programs to rapidly deliver lifesaving tools across Senegal including bed nets, insecticides, systemic case investigations with large-scale testing and treatment with antimalarial drugs, and community engagement. MACEPA has also developed and deployed digital tools to improve data collection in Senegal, helping leaders identify and interrupt outbreaks quickly. PATH experts at the MIM Conference will share key findings from their work in Senegal and recommendations for how to achieve a malaria-free Senegal. To learn more about Senegal's progress over the last decade, visit www.MalariaFreeSenegal.com."
###
Follow us on Twitter! Join the conversation with the hashtag #MIM2018:
More information:
Posted on April 13, 2018