Malaria and related matters explained in the words of survivors, experts and activists.
The medicines that prevent and treat malaria should be tailored to the diverse geographies in which they are deployed and meet the unique needs of pregnant women and the youngest patients. Take a listen to MMV’s Cristina Donini, Head of Program Leadership and Strategy and Hanu Ramachandruni, Senior Director, Pharmaceutical Development discuss the process of antimalarial development through the lens of field context and patient needs.
Developing antimalarials tailored to local geography and patient needs
It is not enough to develop medicines tailored to diverse patient needs and local context, one must ensure that the medicines reach the patients they are meant to treat. This requires unique knowledge of field conditions, as well as close collaboration with local partners. MMV experts André-Marie Tchouatieu, Director of Access and Product Management and Maud Majeres Lugand, Associate Director of Social Research discuss the road to health impact through the lens of local geography and culture.
Culture and geography along the road to health impact
Over 99% of malaria cases in Brazil occur in the Amazonian region, where access to quality treatment can be challenging. Take a listen to hear the experiences of Dr Dhelio Pereira, Brazilian medical doctor and Research Director at the Centre of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, and Dr Elodie Jambert, Director of Access and Product Management at MMV, on the challenges inherent in rolling out a new malaria treatment to patients in remote areas in the Amazon, and how they can be addressed.
Diagnosing and treating malaria in the Brazilian Amazon
Eileen Buxton is a nurse in Ghana where malaria causes more than 3% of maternal deaths each year. Her job puts in her in contact with malaria patients. She understands their symptoms and knows they can be fatal. So when she got sick during her pregnancy she imagined the worst. Listen to her story.
Pregnant with malaria: Eileen's story
Pregnant women are more likely to catch diseases such as malaria and they are less likely to receive appropriate treatment. Dr Hellen Barsosio, a Kenyan researcher and medical doctor tells us more about this inequality at the heart of medical research.
Gender bias at the heart of medical research
Pregnant women are particularly sensitive to malaria. Despite this known fact, there is a shortage of effective treatments. Today we discuss the potential for new treatment options for malaria in pregnancy with Maud Majeres Lugand and Myriam El Gaaloul, the two co-leads of MMV's malaria in pregnancy programme.
New treatment options are needed for malaria in pregnancy
Malaria is a disease whose main victims are children. In The Gambia, the four months of the rainy season are also the peak periods for malaria. Children need to take preventive medicine to be protected against the malaria parasite during this time. Olimatou is a health worker who organizes these prevention campaigns with an added difficulty since 2020: the COVID-19 pandemic.
On the frontline of malaria prevention during the pandemic: Olimatou’s story
The COVID-19 pandemic has disturbed many aspects of our lives. Entire societies and their health systems have struggled to adapt. Medicines for Malaria Venture works to prevent and cure malaria in endemic countries. This past year the organization has had to address the threat of two deadly diseases: malaria and COVID-19. The CEO, David Reddy takes us behind the scenes to share his lessons learnt and the challenges that still lie ahead.
Fighting malaria during the COVID-19 pandemic: an interview with David Reddy, CEO of MMV
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, modeling analyses predicted that the spread of this new disease would lead to an increase in malaria deaths. COVID-19 would burden health systems, prevent proper access to medicines and disturb prevention campaigns. More than a year later, where do we stand? Pedro Alonso, the director of the World Health Organization’s Global Malaria Programme, reflects on this crisis and shares his hopes for the future of science and health.
COVID-19 and global malaria interventions: an interview with Pedro Alonso, director of the World Health Organization’s Global Malaria Programme
