August 2011

Prospects for malaria elimination in non-Amazonian regions of Latin America

Latin America experiences nearly one million malaria cases annually, and has less than 10% of the entire global at-risk population. A number of factors contribute to continued transmission in this region such as rapid deforestation, drug and insecticide resistance, political instability and inadequate agricultural practices. To address these challenges, a new research center established for the non-Amazonian region of Latin America, Centro Latino Americano de Investigación en Malaria (CLAIM), will address major gaps in the understanding of changing malaria epidemiology. In close partnership with National Malaria Programs, the research conducted will be a basis for developing and implementing new strategies to accelerate progress towards elimination in the region.