The Asia Pacific Malaria Elimination Network (APMEN) today, 25th June, is launching the APMEN Research Grant Program, which aims to assist in the development of new tools and measures to eliminate malaria in the Asia Pacific region. The Network is composed of 10 countries working to eliminate malaria (Bhutan, China, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Republic of Korea, the Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, and Vanuatu) along with partner and research institutions in the region, including WHO. In this inaugural funding round, grants will focus on the malaria parasite Plasmodium vivax, whose persistent liver stage makes it less vulnerable to elimination efforts. Proposals for short-term operational research or a scientific evaluation of an existing program can be submitted from individuals or organisations from the ten APMEN countries and must be endorsed by their National Malaria Control Program. These research grants will also strengthen the exchanges and lesson sharing between APMEN Countries and Partner Institutions in the region and are made possible with support from the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID). Further information regarding the APMEN Research Grant Program can be viewed at www.apmen.org.

25/06/2010  from APMEN      Read More

Due to the recent success that Zanzibar has achieved in reducing its malaria burden, the Zanzibar Malaria Control Program, along with technical advice from local and international experts including many MEG members, conducted an assessment to determine the technical, operational and financial feasibility of eliminating malaria. Results of the assessment and recommendations on a way forward were recently presented to the Zanzibar Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

23/06/2010  by Melanie Holesgrove     Read More

With renewed interest in malaria elimination, island environments present unique opportunities to achieve this goal. However, as transmission decreases, monitoring and evaluation programmes need increasingly sensitive tools to assess Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax exposure. In 2009, to assess the role of serological markers in evaluating malaria transmission, a cross-sectional seroprevalence study was carried out in Tanna and Aneityum, two of the southernmost islands of the Vanuatu archipelago, areas where malaria transmission has been variably reduced over the past few decades. Seroepidemiology can provide key information on malaria transmission for control programmes, when parasite rates are low. As Vanuatu moves closer to malaria elimination, monitoring changes in transmission intensity and identification of residual malaria foci is paramount in order to concentrate intervention efforts.

16/06/2010  from Malaria Journal     Read More

A cross cutting approach is needed to meet the challenges of the global financial crisis The past decade has been a "golden window" for global health. New disease specific health initiatives and major new funding programmes have contributed to impressive gains. In 2008, for example, 10 000 fewer children were dying each day than in 1990. But there are disturbing signs that the window may be closing. Donor agencies have warned African countries that financial help for HIV treatment programmes cannot be assured.1 The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI Alliance) face serious funding shortfalls. The Spanish government just announced that it will cut foreign aid by 600m Euro (AU$873m) as part of its austerity measures, and other donor governments seem likely to follow suit. Without sustained funding to strengthen the fragile health infrastructure of developing countries, the millennium development goals are unlikely to be reached. How will the global health community respond? One risk is that the various sub-communities, or silos, such as those working on HIV, malaria, vaccines, or health systems, will advocate and compete for their own stake in the shrinking pot of donor money.

5/06/2010  from BMJ     Read More

The Ministry of Health in the Republic of Vanuatu has implemented a malaria elimination programme in Tafea Province, the most southern and eastern limit of malaria transmission in the South West Pacific. Tafea Province is comprised of five islands with malaria elimination achieved on one of these islands (Aneityum) in 1998. The current study aimed to establish the baseline distribution of malaria on the most malarious of the province's islands, Tanna Island, to guide the implementation of elimination activities. Malaria in Tanna Island, Vanuatu, has a focal and predominantly coastal distribution. As Vanuatu refines its elimination strategy, malaria risk maps represent an invaluable resource in the strategic planning of all levels of malaria interventions for the island.

2/06/2010  from Malaria Journal     Read More

ALBINO Bobogare, Director of the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme, led a delegation to the Malaria Reference Group Meeting in Brisbane at the beginning of this month. The Malaria Reference Group is a high-powered group of international experts in the battle against malaria. It is chaired by Sir Richard Feachem who is head of the Global Health Group, part of the University of San Francisco.

21/05/2010  from Solomon Island Star     Read More

An oft-cited story describes how Sri Lanka reduced its incidence of malaria from 2.8 million cases in 1946 to a mere 17 in 1963, only to see the rate resurge in subsequent years. Yet, in the past decade, Sri Lanka has brought its annual caseload down from more than 200 000 confirmed cases in 2000 to just 670 cases in 2008, with no deaths due to malaria in more than 2 years. Similarly, in the Philippines, the past decade has seen nine provinces become malaria free, bringing the total to 22 of 81. Eight of 20 malaria-endemic countries in WHO's Western Pacific and Southeast Asia regions achieved declines in annual cases of more than 50% from 2000 to 2008. Success stories such as these reverberate throughout Asia-'Pacific: in this era of renewed commitment to elimination participants gathered in Kandy, Sri Lanka (Feb 16-'19, 2010), for the second annual meeting of the Asia Pacific Malaria Elimination Network (APMEN).

11/05/2010  from The Lancet     Read More

In the 1990s, the experience of eliminating malaria from Aneityum Island, Vanuatu is often given as evidence for the potential to eliminate malaria in the south-west Pacific. This experience, however, cannot provide a blueprint for larger islands that represent more complex social and environmental contexts. Community support was a key contributor to success in Aneityum. In low malaria transmission settings, a package for augmenting social capital and sustaining community participation for elimination will be essential and includes: 'sentinel sites' for qualitative monitoring of evolving local socio-cultural, behavioural and practical issues that impact malaria prevention and treatment; mobilizing social networks; intersectoral collaboration; integration of malaria interventions with activities addressing other community health and disease priorities; and targeted implementation of locally appropriate, multi-level, media campaigns that sustain motivation for community participation in malaria elimination.

12/04/2010  from Malaria Journal     Read More

The Asia-Pacific Malaria Elimination Network (APMEN), the "club" formed to fight the carrier of malaria and its vector comprises Sri Lanka, China, Bhutan, North and South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and the Philippines. While the main four-day sessions were on with Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva as the chief guest, from February 9-12 at the Earl"s Regency, many were the active working groups which discussed the issues faced by APMEN countries. Collaborative organizations such as the World Health Organization, research institutions and donors also attended the sessions.

4/03/2010  from The Sunday Times     Read More

The 2nd APMEN Technical and Associated Meetings were held from the 14th - 19th of February in Kandy, Sri Lanka. The meeting involved a Technical Meeting as well as satellite meetings of the Vivax Working Group, Vector Control Working Group, APMEN Advisory Panel and APMEN Business Meeting, with the working group meetings held in Colombo and the other meetings in Kandy. It was opened by the Hon. Nimal Siripala de Silva, Minister of Healthcare and Nutrition, Sri Lanka with an inspiring speech conveying the government's commitment and understanding that this is no short term endeavour. The meeting received good press coverage in Sri Lanka. In addition a study tour was conducted on the 16th of February to malaria programs in Sri Lanka.

24/02/2010  from APMEN     Read More

The Asia Pacific Malaria Elimination Network (APMEN) has launched a new web site. APMEN is a diverse but cohesive network of leaders and experts from national malaria programs in the Asia Pacific and key partner institutions who are collaboratively addressing the challenges of malaria elimination.

22/01/2010 9:14:59 AM  by Simon Forsyth     Read More

A key component of the malaria elimination strategy in Solomon Islands (SI) is widespread coverage of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs). The success of this strategy is dependent on LLIN acceptability and compliance. There has been unresolved debate among policy makers and donors as to which type of LLIN would be most appropriate for large-scale distribution in SI, and anecdotal reports of a lack of acceptability of certain brands of LLINs. A cluster randomized controlled crossover bed net acceptability and preference trial was therefore carried out from July to September, 2008 to inform policy and to facilitate community engagement and participation in the selection of the most appropriate LLIN for use in SI. This research was conducted to inform LLIN procurement as part of the national malaria control and elimination programme in SI. The success of malaria elimination in the Pacific and elsewhere relies on provision of acceptable interventions, consideration of local-level realities and engagement of communities in strategy development

16/12/2009  from Malaria Journal     Read More

A leading malaria expert believes malaria could be eliminated from Temotu Province within a few years. The Chairman of the Malaria Reference Group, Sir Richard Feachem, visited Solomon Islands last week to view some of the country's malaria action programs, and said Temotu could soon be malaria-free. "If the people of Temotu Province, under the leadership of Premier Hon. Edward Daiwo, continue this excellent work, we can expect a rapid decline in malaria and elimination in a few short years," he said. Malaria is a preventable and treatable disease, but continues to kill around a million people every year.

23/11/2009  from Solomon Island Star     Read More

A leading malaria expert believes malaria could be eliminated from Temotu Province within a few years. The Chairman of the Malaria Reference Group, Sir Richard Feachem, visited Solomon Islands last week to view some of the country's malaria action programs, and said Temotu could soon be malaria-free.

19/11/2009 9:12:00 AM  from Solomon Times     Read More

Half a billion people catch malaria every year and one million die, nevertheless, the fight has been energised in the years since the establishment of The Global Fund in 2002. Sir Richard Feachem was its first executive director. Now, he is Director of the Global Health Group at the University Of California, San Francisco. Sir Richard describes how well the fight against malaria is progressing.

19/11/2009  from ABC Health     Read More

There are now two information streams from PacMISC via the social messaging service called Twitter. One stream will broadcast PacMISC specific news and highlighted articles of interest: twitter.com
The other stream will carry malaria related science articles: twitter.com

18/11/2009  by Simon Forsyth     Read More

The Secretariat of the Pacific Community says Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands are now moving from controlling malaria to eliminating it. The Secretariat-™s public health programme manager, Dr Thierry Jubeau, says with the decrease in cases, the two countries are now able to focus on wiping out the illness step by step.

12/10/2009 6:53:00 PM  from Radio NZ International     Read More

Vanuatu-™s manager for malaria control says community awareness has played a big part in the successful drop of malaria cases in the country. George Taleo says health officials are distributing insecticide sprayed bednets to communities, spraying people-™s homes and have better diagnosis and treatment available.

12/10/2009 8:00:00 AM  from Radio NZ International     Read More

Professor Michael Good received the Eureka award for 25 years of service to research into infectious diseases. He has developed a vaccine for malaria which is now in the final stages of clinical studies. He has also developed a vaccine for streptococcus A which causes rheumatic fever and heart disease. Professor Good currently leads the Queensland Institute of Medical Research. www.qimr.edu.au

18/08/2009 9:00:00 AM  from ABC Health     Read More

The Temotu Provincial Government pledged its full support to the Malaria Elimination Programme in the province. Speaking at the launching of the Malaria Elimination Programme in Lata, last Friday, Deputy Premier Noel Keniano said the provincial government is fully supportive and welcomes the implementation of the programme in the province. Temotu is the first province to have undertaken the programme, which commenced last year. The programme aims to have 100 percent of the provincial population use long lasting insecticide-treated bed nets and comprehensive coverage of indoor residual spraying in villages with high-level transmission of malaria and the introduction of rapid diagnostic tests.

27/07/2009  from Solomon Island Star     Read More

The Malaria Elimination initiative that aims to get rid of Malaria in Temotu Province by 2014 was officially launched in Lata, Temotu Province, last Friday. Temotu is the first province to have undertaken the elimination programme, which commenced last year. Minister of Health and Medical Services Clay Forau, Permanent Secretary Dr Lester Ross, Director of Pacific Malaria Initiative Support Centre (PacMISC) Dr Andrew Vallely, staff of National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme and WHO representative Dr Ken Chen and JICA representative Hiroto Kobayashi travelled to Lata to attend the launching ceremony.

27/07/2009  from Solomon Island Star     Read More

One of the world's leading experts on malaria and public health says a new Asia-Pacific Malaria Elimination Network should ensure the Pacific is malaria-free by 2020. Network chairman and University of California's Professor Sir Richard Feachman launched the group in Australia. The group is comprised of country agencies and experts from key multilateral and academic institutions. The Solomon Islands and Vanuatu are two of 10 member countries that will benefit from scientific collaboration on the particular challenges of the region's parasite, as well as greater coordination and resourcing of conventional malaria responses.

9/06/2009  from Islands Business     Read More

Background: In March 2008, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu governments raised the goal of their National Malaria Programmes from control to elimination. Vector control measures, such as indoor residual spraying (IRS) and long-lasting insecticidal bed nets (LLINs) are key integral components of this programme. Compliance with these interventions is dependent on their acceptability and on the socio-cultural context of the local population.

4/06/2009  from Malaria Journal     Read More

Solomon Islands Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) welcomes the increasing momentum being demonstrated by its key partners towards the shared goal of eliminating malaria by 2020. Permanent Secretary Dr Lester Ross announced that over 2009-2011, an increment of $210 million is planned to be invested in malaria control, and ultimately elimination. The announcement comes at the end of the recent visit to Isabel Province by Professor Sir Richard Feachem, Chair of the Malaria Reference Group (MRG) of the Pacific Malaria Initiative.

20/05/2009  from SPC     Read More

The Malaria Reference Group (MRG) held its fourth meeting in Vanuatu during May 4 to 7, 2009. Three days were spent on the island of Tanna in Tafea Province and one day in Port Vila. The Prime Minister of Vanuatu, and the Minister of Health, graciously opened the meeting on Tanna and the Provincial President extended a warm welcome.

15/05/2009 11:03:40 AM  by Simon Forsyth     Read More

Following an opening ceremony attended by the PrimeMinister of Vanuatu, the Minister of Health, and the President of the Tafea province in the Solomon Islands, the AusAID supported Pacific Islands "Malaria Reference Group" (MRG) has just concluded its 4th meeting on Tanna Island in Vanuatu. The key focus of the MRG is to support Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands to eliminate malaria over the next 15 to 20 years. Attended by the eleven permanent MRG members, and supported by a number of other key partners (including AusAID, WHO, SPC and the PacMISC implementation team), the 4th MRG provided a timely opportunity for the Pacific community to consider malaria control strategies currently being implemented in Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands, and how to dramatically scale-up these efforts over the coming years.

12/05/2009  from SPC     Read More

PacMISC is recruiting Provincial Program Management Support Officers for Vanuatu and Solomon Islands. Based in Tafea Province, Vanuatu, and Temotu Province, Solomon Islands, the Program Management Officers will play a key role in the project management and support for the disease control program activities in their allocated province. This will include supporting national counterparts with planning, implementation and reporting on program activities, collation and analysis of key program data and overseeing all financial, logistical, reporting and general project management requirements at a provincial level for the PacMISC. Please follow the link for further information: jtai.turborecruit.com.au

28/04/2009 1:22:23 PM  by Simon Forsyth     Read More

The Pacific Malaria Initiative Support Centre (PacMISC) officially launches the PacMISC.net website. The site offers malaria related news gathering from various sources including www.malariajournal.com and www.sciencedaily.com, a list of scientific references relevant to the eradication of malaria in the South Pacific, and results from research carried out by the malaria initiative project (coming soon). Additionally, PacMISC staff; Stacey Pitman and Georgina Dove, initiated an education campaign to raise awareness of malaria among University of Queensland medical students. Be sure to visit the official world malaria day site (www.rbm.who.int)

24/04/2009 1:47:38 PM  by Simon Forsyth     Read More

The test site is now live and available world wide. This is a temporary home for the PacMISC web site while installation and configuration of the PacMISC server takes place.

14/04/2009  by Simon Forsyth     Read More

The Malaria Reference Group (MRG) is confident the high incidence of malaria in the Solomons and Vanuatu could be reduced drastically in the next four years. The group, chaired by Professor Sir Richard Feachem, a former Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, met last month to discuss the strategic directions of the Pacific Malaria Initiative, which received a A$25 million funding from AusAID. The initiative will fund health systems and research into prevention and treatment.

16/02/2009  from Islands Business     Read More