Specifically on [insert the date] at the Kigali Summit on Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in Kigali, Rwanda, global leaders, experts, and stakeholders gathered to tackle both malaria and neglected tropical diseases. This pivotal event served as a venue to share new, evidence-based strategies that harness existing research as well as new findings and policy recommendations. In this article, we explore exclusive interviews with top leaders of the summit sharing the latest know-how and future directions to defeat these important health burdens.
The Significance of the Kigali Summit
Occasions like the Kigali Summit help to build momentum to eliminate these diseases for good. The summit brought together world leaders, heads of international organizations, donors, the private sector, and civil society to call for nationally owned and internationally supported action to step up the global fight against malaria and NTDs. It emphasized cooperation, coordination, and scaling up progress toward the elimination of these diseases. The meeting highlighted the importance of policy frameworks innovative solutions and financing mechanisms.
Expert Insights from the Summit
John Nkengasong, director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Elderly COVID-19 patients recover at a treatment center in Gondar, northern Ethiopia. Photo by Getty In both Ghana and Ethiopia, officials are operating on population data, not individual data.
A: After the Kigali Summit, here are some points to remember about the control of malaria in Africa.
Dr. Nkengasong: The Kigali Summit reminded us that malaria control involves multiple layers. We need to strengthen our surveillance systems and also our ability to make better decisions using the data we collect. For example, we can now leverage modern technology, such as G systems and molecular diagnostics, to track disease transmission more accurately and respond more effectively. We, of course, reemphasized the need to connect with communities, to empower these communities, as they are the frontline when it comes to malaria control. Communities play a key role in the collection of data as well as the implementation of all these interventions.
Q: How can African nations build more resilient health systems to combat malaria?
Dr. Nkengasong: ‘The ability to build resilient health systems – from investing in health infrastructure to training health workers to developing human resources and health technology, and continued investment in health infrastructure – is about achieving the right balance across the entire spectrum, from a district to a community level. So we are targeting our efforts at the district level, and we are working to deploy health workers and provide them with tools, resources, reagents, and commodities. And in addition to working with governments, we’re working with partners from the international organization and private sectors to mobilize resources around these investments.’
Dr. Amina J. Mohamed: Deputy Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) for NTDs
Q: What innovative solutions were highlighted at the summit for addressing neglected tropical diseases?
Mohamed: ‘You could see numerous innovative approaches to NTDs on the summit, ranging from new integrated treatment strategies where we could manage more than two NTDs at the same time – saving time, and costs and enhancing the impact of the intervention – to new diagnostic tools and drugs, for example, point-of-care tests or new pharmaceuticals that could make disease management so much better.’
Q: What role do partnerships play in advancing the fight against NTDs?
Dr Mohamed: Partnerships will be key. Collaboration among governments, NGOs, research institutions, and drug companies is essential to develop and implement approaches. Public-private partnerships can facilitate the creation of new treatments, for example. However governments will also need to collaborate at the regional and global levels to share best practices, resources, and knowledge to speed up progress toward elimination.
Professor Jean-Pierre Otayek: Director of the Institute of Research for Development (IRD)
A: At the summit, the following emerging trends in malaria and NTDs were put forward as research frontiers: – all work and no play – childhood stunting has been linked with poor physical and cognitive growth and inadequate brain structure development – sex targets the worms – changing the sex of drugs to improve efficacy for treatment or making pheromones to kill the worms – beyond the brain – understanding the complexities of how the human brain responds to worm infections.
Professor Otayek: ‘Some new research topics of interest are the genetic and molecular approach to study processes of resistance and determination of transmission, for example in the research of malaria, where we are studying the genetic markers of resistance, both at the level of the parasite and that of the mosquito, and we also have more interest in seeing the complex forms of diseases – like malaria and HIV – that we are trying to eradicate, with an approach that can improve treatments because we are seeing this disease along with all the others. In the case of NTDs, it’s the development of vaccines and better ways to control vector transmissions.
Q: How can research be translated into effective policies and practices on the ground?
Professor Otayek: ‘The crucial links between researchers, policymakers, and practitioners must strengthen in translating research into practice. Research results should be accessible to policymakers and practitioners; dissemination in peer-reviewed journals needs to go beyond the academic agenda and include a dialogue with policymakers, health organizations, and practitioners. Pilot projects and field studies are necessary steps in effective knowledge translation and an improved application of research in practice. The availability of EMIS can ensure that millions of vulnerable people have access to primary healthcare services.
Dr. Hope S. Adeoye: Head of Global Health Partnerships, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Q: What role does funding play in achieving malaria and NTD elimination goals?
Dr Adeoye: ‘Funding is another critical pillar. The clear requirement that came out of the Kigali Summit is that for sure we should continue to sustain and also increase funding because if we must mobilize to achieve these goals, in terms of investment in research, investment in health infrastructure, investment in community-based programs, we still have to sustain funding. Gates funding, as well as other donors, commit to investing in innovative programs and scaling up successes. Ultimately, when resources are available, they will be used to their fullest potential.
Q: What are the challenges in securing funds and creating budgets for malaria and NTD programs?
Dr Adeoye: ‘Resources are always scarce, so one of the challenges is that there are many, many health priorities competing for these resources. Another issue is ensuring that resources reach the communities and get allocated effectively to health facilities for efficient use. Community monitoring plays a very important role there: they are the agents of transparency and accountability. You want to see what is happening on the ground. In addition, the stakeholders may not necessarily want to dedicate their resources to infrastructure or the other areas that we are focusing on, but if you’re able to convince them how the investment or co-investment is making a difference, then you’re much more likely not only to get the investment but also to get the pushback and support it needs to get there.
In the Kigali Summit on Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases, experts discussed ways of bringing an end to these infections, highlighting the need to hasten the integration of modern technologies, enhance community participation, strengthen health systems, and improve coordination to provide essential health services. By focusing on these areas and leveraging the latest technologies and approaches, the global health community can significantly enhance efforts to end malaria and NTDs.
This is why the summit’s expert inputs serve as reminders that we must double down on investments, research, and partnerships to sustain momentum in the fight against these diseases. These lessons from Kigali must now be key to the development of the strategic roadmap to help us with elimination.
