MARC SE-Africa begins cooperation with the East Africa Community Great Lakes Malaria Initiative
MARC SE-Africa took the stage at the East Africa Community (EAC) Great Lakes Malaria Initiative (GLMI) coordination meeting held on the shores of the Indian Ocean in Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania, from 12 to 15 February 2024. To address the high burden of malaria, stakeholders from across the region strategized and collaborated on efforts to control malaria, with a focus on cross-border areas.
Attendees of the East Africa Community Great Lakes Malaria Initiative (GLMI) coordination meeting held on 12-15 February 2024.
Collaborative interventions between partner countries sharing borders are vital to strengthen and sustain malaria control. However, the emerging and rapidly spreading (partial) resistance to the artemisinins (ART-R), the frontline treatment for both uncomplicated and severe malaria, not only threatens the efficacy of artemisinin-based combination treatments (ACTs) but also undermines progress made in reducing the burden of disease. Several representatives of the MARC SE-Africa consortium contributed to the discussion and dialogue, expressing their willingness and dedication to collaborating with the EAC region to mitigate the pressing impact of antimalarial drug resistance.
National malaria control program managers, public health officials, and malaria surveillance officials from the EAC block participated in the forum hosted by the UNOPS Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership to End Malaria. The multi-sectoral nature of the gathering underscored the complexity of the challenge and the need for comprehensive, coordinated responses. Throughout the meeting, participants engaged in robust discussions and knowledge-sharing sessions to identify strategies to combat the burden of malaria and antimalarial drug resistance.
Presentations highlighted the status of malaria burden and drug resistance in each partner country. Notably, two EAC countries (DRC and Uganda) are among the highest contributors to malaria cases globally, while DRC and Tanzania contribute the highest malaria-related deaths globally. Participants recommended urgent, coordinated cross-border surveillance systems for malaria to ensure timely detection and response to new biological threats, including ART-R, ACT treatment failures and diagnostic resistance associated with pfhrp2/3 deletions. A knowledge gap on antimalarial drug resistance was noted, indicating the importance of MARC SE-Africa's work to the region.
The meeting was an ideal platform to demonstrate MARC SE-Africa's activities, expertise, and resources. Dr Eulambius Mlugu presented MARC SE-Africa's contribution to strengthening the efforts against antimalarial drug resistance in the region and emphasized the need for an integrated regional mitigation strategy. This would support sustained malaria control in East Africa, where ART-T is currently concentrated. The experts in the meeting were pleased to learn about the activities of MARC SE-Africa and recommended that the EAC secretariat collaborate with the consortium to develop a regional strategy, which needs to be improved in most of the EAC member countries. Equally, the EAC secretariat was tasked to coordinate focal persons from all EAC partner countries to ensure a smooth flow of information and coordination of MARC SE-African activities at the country level. Representatives from Kenya, Zanzibar, and South Sudan's national malaria control programs expressed their willingness to be assisted in developing and implementing a local strategy to address evidence gaps in antimalarial resistance in their countries.
MARC-SE Africa partners appreciate the opportunity to connect with regional stakeholders and look forward to future collaboration in East Africa.
MARC SE-Africa representative Dr. Eulambius Mlugu (second from right) with an RBM representative General Kaka (second from left) and two members from Uganda National Malaria Control Program.
