An illustration of a malaria infected red blood cell

Malaria prevention in low- and middle-income countries

Malaria is a life threatening disease that is a huge burden in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs), disproportionately affecting children under five and those residing in rural areas. In 2023 the WHO Africa Region was home to 94% of all malaria cases and 95% of deaths. Malaria is a disease caused by a parasite transmitted by female Anopheles mosquitoes. It is both preventable and curable, so work is required to understand how it is still so prevalent and why preventative measures aren't working. New medical options are needed to improve adherence and to fit the lifestyles of those in the areas most effected.

Malaria is commonly misdiagnosed as the symptoms of malaria resemble many other illnesses and diseases. The difficulty with misdiagnosing malaria is that it needs to be treated within 24 hours or it can progress to an incredibly severe illness and even lead to death.

Malaria symptoms

Symptoms can be mild or life-threatening.

Mild symptoms are:

  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Headache.

Severe symptoms include:

  • Fatigue
  • Confusion
  • Seizures
  • Difficulty breathing.

The Malaria Burden

  • There were 263 million global cases of malaria in 2023, 14 million more than the year before
  • Malaria disproportionately affects children under five and those residing in rural areas
  • In 2023 the WHO Africa Region was home to 94% (246 million) of all malaria cases and 95% (569 000) of deaths
  • The estimated number of malaria deaths stood at 597,000 in 2023
  • In Africa, children under 5 years of age accounted for around 76% of all malaria deaths
  • Four countries in Africa accounted for over half of the malaria deats: Nigeria (30.9%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (11.3%), Niger (5.9%) and United Republic of Tanzania (4.3%).

Source: World Health Organisation's Malaria factsheet

LONGEVITY and malaria

The malaria burden can be reduced by tackling the issue of non-adherence to current malaria prevention regimens which require taking many tablets, and adding new tools to the control strategies currently available.

The LONGEVITY Project aims to broaden the long-acting technologies available for people in LMICs. We are exploring development of a microarray patch (MAP) that people can wear on their skin for a few hours but will continue to release relevant medication for a period of time after it's removed. MAPs could dramatically impact ease and tolerability of malaria prevention, especially in those most effected i.e. newborns, babies and children. This will simplify drug delivery to improve adherence, reduce transmission rates and support future strategies to eliminate the disease.

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Our funding

The LONGEVITY Project is funded by Unitaid

The Unitaid logo is the organisation name written above the words

The project also involves critical partners and collaborators in the Clinton Health Access Initiative, Johns Hopkins University, Medicines Patent Pool, Tandem Nano Ltd., Treatment Action Group and the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

A line with each LONGEVITY partner logo in a line: CELT, CHAI, Johns Hopkins University, Medicines Patent Pool, Queen's University Belfast, Tandem Nano Ltd, TAG and University of Nebraska Medical Center

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