Malaria at ISTM Conference

There were a number of talks at the conference on malaria. Alan Magill who is head of the malaria division of the Gates Foundation spoke about efforts to eradicate malaria. He concluded "Eradication of malaria is biologically possible and the only sustainable goal". In the meantime we need to continue trying to prevent evening mosquito bites and take prophylaxis. One speaker spoke about the different guidelines for where prophylaxis is recommended by different countries. The good news is that where the risk of malaria is high there is consensus between the guidelines. It is where the risk is lower that some countries recommend prophylactic tablets while others suggest avoiding bites is adequate. Fake or inactive medications are a huge problem in many countries and contribute to the development of drug resistance.