MARC SE-Africa partner calls on Sweden to strengthen efforts against antimalarial drug resistance
On 20 November 2024, Prof Anders Björkman from the Karolinska Institutet co-organised an event at the Swedish House of Parliament, where he called on Sweden to contribute to malaria control and treatment in order to combat the growing antimalarial drug resistance.
The seminar emphasized the spreading resistance to artemisinin-based combination treatments (ACT), which are the backbone of malaria treatments in East Africa. Prof Björkman outlined the major threat this development presents for malaria control and management, putting the health of millions at risk. He presented the MARC SE-Africa consortium’s efforts to support endemic countries in developing action plans to prevent and react to antimalarial resistance. The consortium has already published a Regional detailed action plan for responding to antimalarial drug resistance in East Africa, which will form the basis for national adaptations.
In addition to further strengthening regional and cross-border collaboration between the endemic countries, active support from other countries is key, especially when they can contribute their expertise in addressing public health threats. Sweden had an important role in the global smallpox eradication program in the 1970s and in the initiation of the global AIDS control program in the 1980s. Prof Björkman encouraged the audience - which included the members of the Swedish Parliament, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Sida (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency) – to ensure that Sweden assumes an active role in delaying and slowing down of the antimalarial drug resistance.
His proposal included three key action points for the Swedish government:
Introduce urgent support for international advocacy and projects related to artemisinin resistance in Africa.
Purchase the promising triple treatment (three malaria drugs) for two years for a pilot country to help expedite the drugs’ registration, production, and distribution.
Strengthen national and international cooperation between Sweden’s malaria operations and other malaria institutions and initiatives.
This proposal reached a varied audience, which not only included Swedish politicians but also the Global Fund and several NGOs (including UNICEF, Save the Children, and Médecins Sans Frontières).
Other presentations held during the event delved into malaria management, funding, and potential future scenarios, all further strengthening the argument for urgent action against antimalarial drug resistance.
Prof Björkman’s call came after a reduction in funding for development research in Sweden, undermining their strong malaria research tradition. At a time of growing antimalarial drug resistance, a strengthened commitment and active support for prevention and treatment research is needed instead.
