Xinhua Health's "China Plan" has injected more momentum into the global fight against malaria

25 April is World Malaria Day. Malaria remains one of the world's biggest public health problems. According to the World Malaria Report 2023, from 2000 to 2022, the global malaria incidence rate decreased by 28% and the mortality rate decreased by 50%, and the global malaria prevention and control has achieved remarkable results.

However, the reporter's recent investigation found that the global malaria epidemic situation is still grim. Industry experts suggest that after obtaining the malaria elimination certification, the mainland will continue to actively participate in the world's malaria elimination action through scientific and technological innovation and global cooperation, so as to inject more momentum into the global fight against malaria. This is not only an important measure for the mainland to respond to the common challenges of global health, but also an effective means to consolidate the achievements of malaria elimination and ensure national health security.

The gains made in malaria elimination must be sustained

Malaria is an acute infectious disease caused by the malaria parasite and transmitted by mosquito bites. In 2021, China became the first country in the WHO's Western Pacific region to be certified malaria-free in more than 30 years.

Looking back on the past, after more than 70 years of unremitting efforts, China has gone from about 30 million cases of malaria per year in the 40s of the 20th century, to zero cases, and then to the successful elimination of malaria, ending the history of malaria raging on the mainland for thousands of years. The World Health Organization has praised this as "a remarkable achievement".

However, although the continent has achieved the goal of eliminating malaria, it still faces the risk of imported malaria. Two imported cases of malaria were reported in January this year: on January 18, the Yantai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Shandong Province identified a rare malaria case, and on January 24, the Huizhou Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Guangdong Province identified an imported malaria case, which was determined to be falciparum malaria by microscopic examination.

"We face the challenge of continuing to maintain no homegrown primary malaria infections. Cao Jun, director of the Jiangsu Institute of Schistosomiasis Control and Director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Malaria Elimination Research and Training, reminded that in recent years, with the increasing number of people from the mainland who go out to work, do business, travel and participate in international exchange activities, the epidemic of imported malaria remains high.

The relevant person in charge of the National Bureau of Disease Control and Prevention said that the current global malaria epidemic situation is still severe, and imported malaria cases are still reported in the mainland every year, critical cases and deaths occur from time to time, and the risk of retransmission continues. All localities should focus on key populations such as those who travel to and from Africa, Southeast Asia and other areas with high malaria prevalence, as well as key areas such as the China-Myanmar border in Yunnan, popularize knowledge of malaria prevention and control, and raise the public's awareness of malaria prevention and timely medical treatment.

Industry experts say malaria is generally not directly transmitted from person to person, and although imported cases have been reported, there is little chance of large-scale local transmission, and the public should not be overly concerned. In addition, the experts stressed that we should also carry out in-depth investigation and research in view of the new situation and new problems of malaria prevention and control in the mainland, and continue to consolidate the achievements of malaria elimination.

Antimalaria "China solutions" are emerging

During the investigation, the reporter learned that through the continuous efforts of several generations of Chinese scientific research workers, artemisinin, insecticide-treated mosquito nets and the "1-3-7" working model and other antimalarial "Chinese programs" have been emerging.

As an important business card of China's anti-malaria efforts, artemisinin has made significant contributions to global malaria prevention and control. Today, artemisinin-based combination therapy has become the standard treatment for malaria, and the export of artemisinin-based drugs to Africa has become an important demonstration of China's innovative drugs to the world.

As a first-line drug recommended by the World Health Organization for the treatment of severe malaria in children and adults, as a first-line drug recommended by the World Health Organization for the treatment of severe malaria, artesunate for injection independently developed by the company has treated more than 68 million severe malaria patients worldwide, and 258 million African children have been treated with oral malaria prophylaxis, said Peng Xiaodan, President of Guilin Pharma, a member of Fosun Pharma.

In addition to drug research and development, China has become a major producer of insecticide-treated nets, and the "1-3-7" working model (i.e., reporting the epidemic within one day after diagnosis, completing case review and epidemiological case investigation within three days, and investigating and dealing with epidemic sites within seven days) has also been officially written into the WHO technical document and promoted to the world.

Taking the "Wanbao Minerals Camp in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Malaria Prevention and Control Project (2019-2020)" as an example, Cao Jun said that we have reduced the incidence of malaria among the company's Chinese employees by more than 50% by taking comprehensive malaria prevention and control measures, such as conducting baseline surveys, health education, and taking medication among the population. He believes that through a multi-pronged approach, the comprehensive prevention and control project has achieved remarkable results, the economic value of the prevention and control model has been revealed, and the spillover effect is obvious, and the promotion of the "health-enterprise cooperation" model can promote the linkage and normalization of malaria prevention and control.

Cao Jun said that China's practice of malaria elimination has proved that the mainland has accumulated very effective experience in malaria prevention and control, and by fully integrating it with the actual situation of malaria-endemic countries and regions, this will have a positive reference role and practical significance.

China's innovation contributes to the global fight against malaria

According to the World Malaria Report 2023, there were about 249 million cases of malaria worldwide in 2022. Other data show that on the continent, about 90% of the current annual imported malaria cases come from the African region, with a further 10% coming mainly from border-border, malaria-endemic countries. Therefore, it is of great significance to assist African regions and border countries in the control and elimination of malaria.

Wang Luo, director of the Institute of International Development Cooperation of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Commerce, said that on the one hand, China's international anti-malaria assistance is to promote its experience and at the same time strive to integrate it more closely with the overall anti-malaria work of the recipient countries; on the other hand, in addition to providing medicines and innovative technologies, China is also trying its best to assist the recipient countries in cultivating local talents, technical strength and building relevant facilities.

According to reports, since 2002, the Jiangsu Institute of Schistosomiasis Prevention and Control has been a designated institution for foreign aid technical training of the Ministry of Commerce, and in 2016, it was appointed as the "World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Malaria Elimination Research and Training", and has been undertaking international training on the prevention and treatment of malaria and other infectious diseases, and has trained more than 2,000 trainees from 85 countries and regions including Zambia, Sierra Leone, and Tanzania.

Over the years, China has continued to strengthen international cooperation, accelerate the research and development and promotion of innovative solutions, and strive to inject more impetus into the global fight against malaria.

In terms of drug research and development, the reporter learned that the Global Health Drug Discovery Center (GHDDI) in Beijing is stepping up research on a drug, and its plan is to shorten the three-day medication cycle to one drug to solve problems such as drug compliance in malaria patients, and show good prospects in the fight against drug resistance.

In terms of vector biological control, since 2021, the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have jointly funded a series of innovative solutions focused on international cooperation in the development of malaria vector control. For example, in response to the problem of "mosquito resistance to insecticides", the "outdoor mosquitoicidal fungal pesticide development" project undertaken by Chongqing University and other institutions plans to develop mosquitoicidal fungal oil-based preparations with large-scale production potential to solve the problems of mosquito resistance and environmental pollution caused by chemical insecticides. The research on "Blocking the Transmission of Malaria with Natural Antimalarial Commensal Bacteria of Anopheles" undertaken by the Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and other institutions intends to introduce natural antimalarial commensal bacteria into the Anopheles mosquito population, so that Anopheles mosquitoes cannot transmit malaria.

In addition, industry experts are calling on more Chinese companies to pay attention to the World Health Organization's prequalification (WHO PQ) work in order to better participate in the global anti-malaria public market, so that their new research, new technologies and products can be used more widely around the world, so that more people are protected from the threat of malaria. (Reporter Deng Jie reports from Beijing)

Source: Economic Information Daily