Malaria is frequently mentioned in symposia, seminars and meetings, is at the centre of our concerns and the international community remains mobilized to combat this disease through research and other initiatives. Still, every minute a child under the age of five dies of malaria in the world. In the face of this reality, challenges to combat the disease remain numerous. Nevertheless, the many initiatives organised worldwide, including the research of the WANECAM 2 consortium, are a source of hope.
On the occasion of World Malaria Day on April 25 2022, WANECAM 2, in partnership with the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP), organized a roundtable discussion with main stakeholders present. These included the Minister of Health and Social Development (Mrs. Dieminatou Sangaré), the WHO Representative in Mali, the Director of the NMCP (Colonel Aichata Koné), civil society actors, representatives of the private sector, academia, and senior managers of research institutions.
This celebration allowed to:
- provide an update on the status of malaria research and control;
- share the WANECAM 2 program and its objectives, presented by Pr. Issaka Sagara;
- Provide advice on how to prevent malaria,
- Demonstrate and explain malaria diagnosis, surveillance, microscopy, RDT and genetics
Participants were interested to take the rapid diagnostic tests for malaria performed by the investigators of the WANECAM 2 study site of Sotuba. Impregnated mosquito nets were distributed at the end of the ceremony. The day was marked by a strong involvement of policy makers and the population for a malaria-free Africa.
