Chapter 1: Introduction (Literature Review)

REVIEW OF LITERATURE
The world has been fighting malaria for a considerable length of time now. One of the cardinal
factors hindering our opportunities and progress towards the goals of global development is the
deaths occurring due to significantly colossal amount of malaria cases. Research work has been
carried out widely to increase the number of malaria-free countries and territories and by also
identifying and promoting the diverse amount of the approaches which are aimed at reducing
its transmission.
Numerous studies have been conducted on different fields of Malaria. In the domain of science,
researches on Malaria are really important to Medicine. As per the known resources there are
more than 2000s of journals, conferences and workshops presently who are only aiming for the
cure of this harmful disease. Researchers are focusing mainly on the development for a proper
vaccine to eliminate malaria. According, to the current estimation, around two million kids die
each year, alone in Africa (Francine Ntoumi, et al, The importance and future of malaria
research in Africa, 2004). In the previous or last years of research of malaria, the main objective
was focused on Drugs and Vaccines that target the blood stage of Infection, and mainly on the
most lethal species, Plasmodium falciparum, and most of the researches advocated the need to
prevent and treat the disease.
Malaria research is a wide topic for the researchers, early success were control on malaria as
pyrethrum was sprayed South Africa, Netherlands and India and elimination of
A.gambiae(insect) from many countries, (The New England, Journal of Medicine, 1975).
Many programmes and projects, using insecticide-impregnated bed nets tells us the reduction
in overall mortality and also the decrease in many malaria indices (Implications of the Western
Kenya Permethrin Treated Bed Net Study for Policy, Program Implementation, William A
Hawley, 2003). Malaria mortality rate was reduced during the years 2000 and 2015, at global
stage by 60% overall, and 65% among children under 5 since 2000. Going by reported cases(as
of 2013), more than 50 countries are on track to reduce malaria case incidence rates by 75% ,
as accordance of World Health Assembly, and the targets set by World Health Organization,
and Roll Back Malaria initiative. Currently the main initiatives of the programme focuses to
strengthen the capacity building for malaria controls in the world. The treatment, nowadays is
being done with the help of artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) which has proven
very handy.
The main priorities being the development of drugs for the cure of uncomplicated malaria and
those which are quite active against the sexual stages of the malaria parasite. And also finding
way so that the reach of the treatment could be increased, and the cost efficiency could be
improve, as for the poor (Control to elimination: Implications for malaria research, Brian M.
Greenwood, 2008).
So, we see Science have contributed greatly to almost all facets on the current global fight
versus malaria. But most of the research have been specifically area related, certain universal
truths nonetheless are evident. These are giving us benefits regionally, and theyre improving
with the days. There is a need to fill the space of deficiency of knowledge, which we have and
which we can translate into action. This requirement has been clearly expressed in WHOs
recent publications (WHO, 2004c). So we are required to re-think the current trends in capacity
building for control of malaria, globally.(Social science research in malaria prevention,
management and control in the last two decades: An overview). The future of malaria research
is both bright and dull simultaneously. And the fund are being given by the many organisations,
like European Union, UNESCO, UNICEF, UNDP,World Bank, World Health Organization.
 CHAPTER 5:

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Kappe, S. H., Vaughan, A. M., Boddey, J. A., & Cowman, A. F. (2010). That was then but this
is now: malaria research in the time of an eradication agenda. Science, 328(5980), 862-866.

Greenwood, B. M. (2008). Control to elimination: implications for malaria research. Trends in

parasitology, 24(10), 449-454.

Ntoumi, Francine, et al. "The importance and future of malaria research in Africa." The
American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene 71.2 suppl (2004): 0v-0.

World Health Organization. World malaria report 2008. World Health Organization, 2008.