Thomson Reuters Foundation: Failing drugs and superbugs: the race to eliminate malaria
Izaskun Gaviria, senior fund portfolio manager at the Global Fund-supported Regional Artemisinin-resistance Initiative (RAI)

“…[D]espite a general downward trend for malaria, antimalarial drug resistance is getting worse quickly, now with resistance to both artemisinin and the partner drug component, and fitter malaria strains spreading over wide geographical areas. As countries whittle down the areas and populations affected by malaria, only the strongest parasites can hold out. Failing to eliminate malaria quickly could allow these difficult-to-treat, resistant strains to cause a resurgence. … These are precisely the kinds of obstacles to elimination the Global Fund partnership is working to address through RAI. Together, we are working to close gaps in supply chains, so the right drugs are in the right places at the right time. A network of local organizations works to reach highly mobile and remote populations … who historically have been underserved by health systems. Improved surveillance data means that when an outbreak flairs up, an appropriate response can be deployed. … The Global Fund partnership will invest more than US$242 million in five countries through RAI over the next three years…” (2/7).