Malaria occurs in many countries, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. Some 11 countries – all in sub-Saharan Africa, except India – account for 70% of the global malaria burden. The disease takes a huge toll on human health. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that in 2017 there were 219 million new cases of malaria resulting in 435,000 deaths. More than two thirds of all malaria deaths occur in children under the age of five.
There is no vaccine for malaria, but it can be prevented and treated. Methods used to prevent malaria include medications, mosquito elimination and the prevention of bites. WHO recommends protection for all people at risk of malaria with effective malaria vector control. Since 2000, 663 million clinical cases of malaria have been averted – 78% of which were due to mosquito control interventions such as long-lasting insecticide treated bednets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS). Fighting malaria is a top priority of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The Crop Protection companies BASF, Bayer, Mitsui Chemical, Sumitomo Chemical and Syngenta have been a major driving force behind the efforts to fight malaria; helping to develop and deliver innovative insecticides for use on bed nets and for indoor spraying, so saving millions of lives.
A decade ago, these companies provided the Innovative Vector Control Consortium (IVCC) access to their chemical libraries to support the search for novel insecticide modes of action that could be developed for public health use. This public private collaboration continues to this day, and has produced a pipeline of novel vector control solutions to support the global efforts to eradicate vector-borne diseases. The progress made in reducing cases of malaria to date is one of the world’s greatest health achievements. We cannot take this progress for granted however - the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported a troubling shift in the trajectory of this global malaria disease burden, which risks increasing again. Further innovation is required to combat insecticide resistance and prevent established vector control tools from becoming less effective. Without the continued support and innovation of the Crop Protection industry, the hard-won gains of the past two decades could be quickly reversed, costing many millions of lives.
On April 18, 2018, BASF, Bayer, Mitsui Chemical, Sumitomo Chemical and Syngenta announced their continued and strengthened commitment to research, develop and deliver innovative vector control tools to help end malaria for good by 2040.
Working together with IVCC and global partners, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), the UK Government's Department for International Development (Dfid), USAID, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and Unitaid, the companies committed to the following principles, and invited other companies working in the field of vector control to join them in the fight to eradicate malaria.
With a rapidly growing population, the world is increasingly dependent on our ability to develop and maintain sustainable agriculture and healthy environments. Our Public Health business helps to improve the quality of life for millions of children and adults around the globe by preventing malaria and other neglected tropical diseases.
Our Public Health team is active in the international malaria community, representing BASF on numerous taskforces on neglected tropical diseases, integrated vector management and long-lasting insecticidal nets.
Combining ground-breaking science with practical down-to-earth action, we develop products that combat disease-transmitting insects and bring them, in collaboration with international health, government and humanitarian organizations, to the communities that need them.
BASF’s WHO-recommended public health portfolio includes Fendona® indoor residual sprays, Abate® larvicides and Interceptor® long-lasting, insecticide treated mosquito nets. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently awarded an interim recommendation to Interceptor® G2, a new generation mosquito net to combat resistant mosquitoes, enabling it to be used in the fight against malaria.
Read more about BASF’s public health portfolio: www.publichealth.basf.com