Few challenges to humanity require constant innovation and sustained research like the fight against infectious diseases. Among those, malaria has proven to be particularly persistent, though much progress has been made. In 2000, more than 1.2 million people were dying of malaria each year. Today, that number has significantly decreased by around 60%. Since then, 12 countries have been declared malaria-free by the World Health Organization. This progress is due, in large part, to a global effort by researchers and community-based organizations to improve prevention and treatment methods, as well as work by governments and the private sector to help deploy resources and increase awareness.
ExxonMobil’s Malaria Initiative launched in 2000, the same year African leaders pledged to halve the continent’s malaria mortality by 2010.
Here, three malaria frontline researchers, whose work has been supported by ExxonMobil, talk about what they, and the broader research community, have learned in fighting this disease and how this insight can inform the world’s response to other diseases, such as COVID-19. Their perspectives are a reflection on the progress made in combating malaria over the last 20 years and the important work that lies ahead.