Management Plans

WHO - http://www.rbm.who.int/keyfacts.html (17)

 Intervention Methods

There has been significant disagreement over management plans for the future in regards to Malaria transmission. Climate change is expected to significantly increase transmission of Malaria, so some researchers suggest working to reduce carbon emissions and reversing the effects of climate warming are the most beneficial plans of action (9). However, others believe that time and money are better spent improving health care in impoverished nations in regards to Malaria transmission. Many believe that the impact that can be made attempting to mitigate climate warming will be much more expensive and less effective than working to prevent or treat the disease instead (11).

A variety of public health projects have been undertaken in Malaria control efforts. There is an enormous range of ideas that have been either considered or used to attempt to control Malaria throughout the globe (6,10,13,17). These include:

• Continued research to find a successful Malaria vaccine
• Distribution of insecticidal nets to protect individuals from mosquito bites
• Distribution of ACT (artemisinin-based combination therapy) drugs, which are the most rapid-acting of all current anti-Malarial medications. (Some research has shown Plasmodium is becoming resistant to these therapies, making this method controversial)
• Use of insecticides to reduce mosquito populations
• Diverting waterways and drying swamps and wetlands to prevent mosquito breeding and reduce mosquito populations
• Improvement of public water sources to prevent use of open stagnant water containers. This would help reduce mosquito breeding grounds
• Development of transgenic mosquitoes that are resistant to infection by Plasmodium, making the mosquito vector incapable of transmitting the disease

Action Plans

One thing most researchers seem to agree on is that more study needs to be done. Several studies suggest continent-wide monitoring of both Malaria cases, as well as consistent climate data, so as to track changes in temperature and rainfall (9,11,14).

"Benchmarking Progress, Disseminating Findings, Catalyzing Action" - WHO RBM Progress and Impact Series  http://www.rbm.who.int/ProgressImpactSeries/index.htm

Among the most significant action plans that are currently in place is the World Heath Organization's Roll Back Malaria Plan, whose vision is that Malaria will no longer be a major source of morbidity and mortality by 2015, and to continue the prevention of Malaria as a global threat beyond 2015 (14).

Management plans for Malaria may also aid in other goals for global improvement. Roll Back Malaria believes that addressing the Malaria epidemic in impoverished nations will help to achieve six of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) laid out by the United Nations (14):

MDG 1 – Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
MDG 2 – Achieve universal primary education
MDG 4 – Reduce child mortality
MDG 5 – Improve maternal health
MDG 6 – Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
MDG 8 – Global partnerships for development and access to affordable drugs