The WHO has called on rich nations to do more in the fight against malaria. Substantial progress has been made in cutting malaria cases and deaths in the last three years, but the hard economic times have stalled additional funding commitments. To keep the momentum going, US$4.2 billion is needed on top of the current US$1.8 billion international funding. Is it time for a Robin Hood Tax to raise these funds?
Meanwhile, fake and dangerous malaria drugs are becoming an increasingly serious health problem. But the mPedigree scratch card could offer a cheap and effective solution to distinguish between life-threatening and life-saving drugs.
A non-conventional approach to the eradication of malaria is the genetic engineering of a malaria- and dengue-proof mosquito (study here). While some 3 million genetically modified mosquitoes are already loose in the Cayman Islands, the imminent start of two pilots programs in Malaysia has caused a debate over safety and effectiveness.
Photo by Flickr user Gustavo.
