Executive Summary

Richard G.A. Feachem, Allison A. Phillips, and Geoffrey A. Targett
[en français]

Abbreviated text

Thirty-nine countries across the world are making progress toward malaria elimination. Some are committed to nationwide elimination, while others are pursuing spatially progressive elimination within their borders. Influential donor and multilateral organizations are supporting their goals of achieving malaria-free status.

With elimination back on the global agenda, countries face a myriad of questions. Should they change their programs to eliminate rather than control malaria? What tools are available? What policies need to be put into place? How will they benefit from elimination? Unfortunately, answers to these questions, and resources for agencies and country program managers considering or pursuing elimination, are scarce.

The 39 countries are all positioned along the endemic margins of the disease, yet they naturally experience a variety of different country characteristics and epidemiologies that make their malaria situations different from one another. The Malaria Elimination Group (MEG) and this Prospectus recognize that there is no single solution, strategy, or timeline that will be appropriate for every country, and each country is encouraged to embark on a comprehensive evaluation of its readiness and strategy for elimination. The Prospectus is designed to guide countries making these assessments.

The Prospectus provides detailed and informed discussion on the practical means of achieving and sustaining zero transmission. It is designed as a road map, providing direction and options from which to choose an appropriate path. As on all great maps, the destination is clearly marked, but the possible routes to reach it are numerous.

The Prospectus is divided into two sections:

Section 1: Eliminating Malaria, comprises four chapters covering the strategic components important to the periods before, during, and after an elimination program.

Section 2: Tools for the Job, comprises six chapters that outline basic information about how interventions in an elimination program will be different from those in a control setting.

While the Prospectus reviews the operational, technical, and financial feasibility for those working on the front lines and considering whether, when, and how to eliminate malaria, there is a companion document: A Guide on Malaria Elimination for Policy Makers is provided for those whose responsibility is primarily to make the policy decisions on whether to pursue a malaria elimination strategy.

Executive Summary