In 2005, President George W. Bush launched the President’s Malaria Initiative, an effort to make the U.S. a technical and financial leader in fighting malaria. In 2008, the signing of the Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act extended the existing legislation and tripled the budget for the cause.

The effort has been largely successful, due partly to the range of methodology. The following are all ways that PMI is seeking to address the spread of the disease.

1. Raw equipment: Over 102 million insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs) have been distributed by PMI.
2. Prevention: Over 243 million antimalarial treatments, 107 million rapid diagnostic tests and over 25 million preventive treatments for expectant mothers have been distributed by PMI.
3. Education: Collectively, over 170,000 health care workers were trained in treating malaria in the fiscal year of 2014 alone.
4. Finances: The funding level has increased from $30 million in 2006 to $669 million in 2015.
5. Partnerships: PMI works with National Malaria Control Programs (NMCPs), as well as independent nonprofits, community groups, academia, the private sector and government agencies.
6. Technology: The constant expansion of technology has allowed for ever-more efficient combat against malaria. For example, smartphone GPS systems allow health officials to map out routes for the transportation of insecticide used for Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS). This way they can avoid areas inaccessible by car, sensitive areas that they should not spray (such as organic crops) and other potential hazards.
7. Specific goals: The PMI targets 20 “focus countries,” and sets both short-term and long-term goals to keep careful track of its progress.
8. Looking to the future: The new six-year strategy (launched at the beginning of 2015) has goals that include reducing malaria mortality by over 80 percent from the original 2000 baseline levels.

– Em Dieckman

Sources: CGDEV, PMI 1, PMI 2, USAID
Photo: Alliance for Malaria Protection