Key takeaways from China’s success in eliminating malaria: leveraging existing evidence for a malaria-free world

Abstract

Although the total number of malaria cases and fatalities have declined globally since 2010, there were still 241 million malaria cases identified across 85 countries and territories in 2020. As the global malaria eradication process accelerates, more countries have launched their own initiatives of elimination. Notably, China achieved this goal by 2021, ending thousands of years of endemic. Undoubtedly, tremendous experience and vital lessons have been accrued en route to the malaria-free goal in malaria-eliminated countries including China. To enhance prospects of a malaria-free world by bridging the key evidence from a malaria-eliminated country to the contexts of affected, this personal view highlights concerted commitments and universal investment in healthcare, improved surveillance and response system, constant capacity building, demand-oriented scientific research, and multiway cooperation, which have helped China to eliminate this ancient scourge. We discuss how these key takeaways could be leveraged to different contexts. We also argue the long-term challenges and barriers on the pathway to malaria elimination and underline the needs for consistent efforts to maintain zero indigenous cases and prevent re-introduction of malaria. Through concerted efforts from global collaboration, a malaria-free world can become a reality.

Public health engagement: new opportunities and challenges in 60 years of China’s health aid to Africa

“…There are three main reasons why malaria programmes play an essential role in CPHE. First, artemisinin and its combination drug, such as compound dihydroartemisinin, which originated in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), have played an essential role in malaria control globally, significantly reducing malaria morbidity and mortality 15. For this, Ms Tu Youyou, the inventor of artemisinin, was awarded the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.…”

How Real-Time Case-Based Malaria Surveillance Helps Zanzibar Get a Step Closer to Malaria Elimination: Description of Operational Platform and Resources

“…4 – 6 Several malaria-eliminating countries in Asia (e.g., Bhutan, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu) 6 , 7 and Africa (e.g., Eswatini and Zambia) 8 , 9 have been using rACD in their malaria elimination efforts, and—in some cases—all the way to successful elimination (e.g., China and Sri Lanka). 10 , 11 …”

“…[4][5][6] Several malaria-eliminating countries in Asia (e.g., Bhutan, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu) 6,7 and Africa (e.g., Eswatini and Zambia) 8,9 have been using rACD in their malaria elimination efforts, and-in some cases-all the way to successful elimination (e.g., China and Sri Lanka). 10,11 We describe the origins of Zanzibar's malaria surveillance platform and its information technology architecture, highlight other resources for malaria surveillance that were critical to its operationalization, and showcase its functionality by broadly reporting on malaria surveillance trends over the past decade. Studies that have conducted in-depth analyses using the platform's programmatic data are discussed and referenced.…”

How enhanced surveillance is helping Zanzibar get one step closer to malaria elimination: description of the operational platforms and resources for real-time case-based malaria surveillance

“…[4][5][6] Several malaria-eliminating countries in Asia (e.g., Bhutan, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu) 6,7 and Africa (e.g., Swaziland and Zambia) 8,9 have been using rACD in their malaria elimination efforts, and-in some cases-all the way to successful elimination (e.g., China, Sri Lanka). 10,11 Here we describe Zanzibar's malaria surveillance platform, its origins and information technology architecture, other resources for malaria surveillance that were critical in operationalizing the platform, as well as showcase its functionality by broadly reporting on malaria surveillance trends over the past decade.…”