9th Southern Africa Malaria Research Conference 2024: ‘Malaria Elimination: A Moving Target?’

The South African Medical Research Council’s (SAMRC) Malaria Research Group (MRG) is set to host the 9th Annual Southern Africa Malaria Research Conference from 31 July to 2 August 2024 at the Future Africa Campus at the University of Pretoria. Under the theme “Malaria Elimination: A Moving Target?”, this year’s conference comes at a crucial time as southern African countries, including South Africa, face significant challenges in their journey towards malaria elimination by 2030.

Despite substantial progress, regional and cross-border malaria continues to pose a serious threat to South Africa’s elimination efforts. Strengthening cross-border collaboration remains critical. The conference will provide an enabling environment for researchers and scientists to share their findings with the wider malaria research community and the public.

Key thematic areas to be addressed include parasite biology and control, regional and cross-border malaria, surveillance, vector biology and control, innovation for elimination, and advocacy for malaria elimination. Through oral and poster presentations, participants will explore the latest scientific advancements and practical solutions to combat malaria.

Prof Rajendra Maharaj, MRG Director, emphasised the importance of the conference in supporting the SAMRC’s mission: “Facilitating high-quality scientific research on malaria informs the development of policy, health services, health promotion, and capacity development, thereby improving the health status and quality of life of people living in malaria-endemic areas.”

A highlight of the event will be the keynote address by Robert Brozin, co-founder of Nandos and Goodbye Malaria, titled “Winging it: The Power of Public-Private Partnership in Driving Malaria Elimination.” Other notable plenary sessions include:

• Dr. Neville Sweijd (ACCESS) on “Malaria and Climate”
• Dr. Power Tshikae (Department of Health, KwaZulu-Natal) on “The Role of Operational Research and Vector Control: Converging to Eliminate Malaria”
• Dr. Givemore Munhenga (National Institute for Communicable Diseases) on “The Role of SIT in an Elimination Agenda: An Introspection of Progress on the Application of the Technology in South Africa”

The conference will attract international and local delegates including participants from prestigious universities such as Stellenbosch, Cape Town, Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Zululand, Pretoria, Witwatersrand, Limpopo, North-West, and Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences. Representatives from key organisations and countries including the JC Flowers Foundation (USA), Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola, University of Botswana, WHO, Elimination 8, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and the Clinton Health Access Initiative will also be in attendance.

Additionally, representatives from national and provincial departments of health, as well as provincial malaria control programme staff from South Africa's three malaria-endemic provinces - Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and KwaZulu-Natal, will participate in the conference.

The 9th Southern Africa Malaria Research Conference promises to be a landmark event, fostering collaboration and innovation to tackle one of the most pressing public health challenges of our time.

The full programme is accessible here: https://malariaconference.mrc.ac.za/programme.html

For further information, please contact:

Tendani Tsedu
Head of Corporate and Marketing Communications
Cell: 082 945 1980
e-mail: tendani.tsedu@mrc.ac.za