The Swiss Malaria Group (SMG) and the Swiss Alliance against Neglected Tropical Diseases (SANTD) conducted a comprehensive survey among candidates in the Swiss national elections in October 2023. Our report is now available! Read more
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The Swiss Malaria Group (SMG) is pleased to welcome two new members in 2024. This expansion reflects SMG's commitment to eradicating malaria through innovative and collaborative efforts.
SMG looks forward to joining forces with Noul Diagnostics, a pioneering South Korean start-up, and with FarmStrong Foundation, a Swiss Foundation with a focus on integrated agricultural systems and health programmes, including malaria prevention and management.
Noul Diagnostics, which focuses on diagnostic solutions in blood and tissue diagnostics, has developed a cutting-edge Digital microscopy-based malaria diagnostic tool, miLab™ MAL. Such innovative diagnostic tools align perfectly with the Swiss Malaria Group's emphasis on innovative solutions in the fight against malaria.
On the other hand, FarmStrong Foundation, established in 2016 and based in Epalinges, Switzerland, with a permanent team in Ivory Coast, is dedicated to promoting resilient and structured rural economic development. Their health programmes, which include extensive malaria-prevention and management interventions, demonstrate a deep commitment to addressing malaria in a holistic manner, making them an ideal partner for the Swiss Malaria Group.
In its response to the consultation, the Swiss Malaria Group commented in detail on the dispatch on Switzerland's international cooperation 2025-2028. The Swiss Malaria Group firmly supports the inclusion of health as a new priority in the IC's 2025-28 strategy. For this strategy to be successfully implemented, health needs to be better integrated strategically into the overall strategy and better taken into account financially. Read more here.
Photo: Andreas Fischinger/ Unsplash.ch
How do the candidates in next October's federal elections view Switzerland's role in global health? In collaboration with the Swiss Alliance against Neglected Tropical Diseases (SANTD), we have created a survey to find out more about the candidates' positions, particularly on the fight against malaria and neglected tropical diseases. On our joint website, you can find out about the results and create a statement on your vision of Switzerland's commitment to global health. Click here to access the website.
At their annual general meeting, the members of the Swiss Malaria Group elected Professor Manuel Hetzel as their new president. Hetzel is a research group leader at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) and professor of epidemiology at the University of Basel. In this capacity he is mainly concerned with malaria control measures. He succeeds Professor Christian Lengeler, who is stepping down after six years as president and a total of over sixteen years with the Swiss Malaria Group. Read the full press release here.
Although malaria could be prevented and treated, global investment in the fight against the disease is declining. Switzerland plays a pioneering role in the field of innovations to combat malaria. The country should also adopt this role in financial terms. Therefore, World Malaria Day is a reminder that the goal of a malaria-free world must remain on the political agenda. More information...
In the 2023 spring session, the National Council supports the prioritisation of health in Switzerland's international cooperation. This is an important signal of Switzerland's commitment to strengthening health systems worldwide. More information...
Photo: Yves/ Pixabay
Twenty years ago, the international community established the Global Fund to fight the devastating infectious diseases HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. By mobilizing financial resources from government and private donors, the Global Fund and its partners have saved more than 44 million lives since 2002. In 2022, the seventh "replenishment" will take place: In order to successfully continue its work, the Global Fund will need approximately 18 billion US dollars for the period 2024-26. Switzerland can also make a substantial contribution here. This is what we at the Swiss Malaria Group are working towards. More info: www.theglobalfund.org
The WHO-World Malaria Report, published in December 2021, shows that the doubling of malaria deaths predicted in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic could be averted. Long-term investments in malaria control, great efforts by countries, partners and local health workers helped affected countries to become more resilient to the pandemic and disruptions in malaria prevention and control were less than expected. Nevertheless, 627 000 people died of malaria in 2020, a disease that can be prevented and treated. Most of the deaths were children under the age of five in sub-Saharan Africa. This shows that the road to a malaria-free world is still long. The WHO therefore calls for further strengthening of the commitment in the fight against malaria.
This year’s report applied a new WHO-wide statistical method to estimate the cause of death among children under five years of age for all major diseases, including malaria. Doing so revealed higher numbers of estimated malaria deaths across the entire period 2000–2020, compared with previous analyses.
On 6 October 202, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended the widespread use of the malaria vaccine RTS,S/AS01. This marks a milestone in the fight against malaria. With this vaccine, tens of thousands of children in sub-Saharan Africa can be saved every year. More information...
In our latitudes, mosquitoes are mainly a nuisance. But in many parts of the world, they can be deadly as vectors of infectious diseases. The ambassador of the Swiss Malaria Group, Christa Rigozzi, is commited to ensuring that no child dies as a result of a mosquito bite. On the occasion of World Mosquito Day on 20 August, Christa Rigozzi draws attention to Switzerland's achievements and potential in the fight against malaria in the Swiss Malaria Group's new short film. More information…
On this year's World Malaria Day on April 25, the Swiss Malaria Group
appoints the presenter and entrepreneur Christa Rigozzi as its new
ambassador and emphasises: Switzerland's commitment to the fight
against malaria remains central even in times of the COVID 19 pandemic. More information...
Still every minute a child dies from malaria, an entirely preventable and treatable disease. Each year there are more than 200 million new infections, of which over 600,000 end deadly.
Malaria has vast consequences. Here are five facts, why we need to stop this disease:
Children and pregnant women are the principal victims.
The poorest countries are most vulnerable to this.
are a consequence of the constant burden of illness on children.
Every year more than 400'000 people die. Swiss institutions and companies have tools to change this.
extensive challenges we face in the fight against malaria.
Malaria traps the most disadvantaged of our society in a spiral of sickness, suffering and poverty. Innovative investments in malaria will help break the disease-poverty cycle and enable people to build sustainable futures. Click on the text to learn more...
In economies that heavily depend on agriculture, reducing malaria increases productivity and contributes to national food security as well as greater rural prosperity. Click on the text to learn more...
Up to 50 % of preventable school absenteeism in Africa is caused by malaria. Less malaria means that children can go to school and take better advantage of their schooling. This is increasing their chances to lead a productive and healthy life. Click on the text to learn more...
Each time a child or a family member falls sick from malaria, 2–4 days have to be spent caregiving, which is often carried out by women and older sisters. When the work of caring for those with malaria drops, women can better engage in generating an income and girls can attend school. Click on the text to learn more...
Climate change is expected to increase the malaria burden in several regions, as climatic conditions will become more favorable for malaria transmitting mosquitoes. Substantive investments to push back malaria and prevent climate change therefore need to be undertaken as soon as possible. Without this, there is a high threat that child mortality will increase again. Click on the text to learn more...
World premiere: On the occasion of the World Mosquito Day on August 20, 2020, we are thrilled to share with you our new TV spot. Watch how the strongest teacher in Switzerland fights against the deadliest enemy of mankind. With movements that are elegant yet painstaking, our Swiss Malaria Group ambassador tries to catch the clever malaria mosquito in the sawdust. Will he succeed?
Our message: «Switzerland is strong in the fight against malaria». Over 600,000 lives are at stake every year. Especially children under the age of 5 and in the world’s poorest countries die of malaria, a disease that is preventable and treatable. Thanks to Swiss and international commitment, much progress has been made in the fight against malaria with 10.6 million lives saved and 1 billion cases averted since 2000.
Read more about the campaign here (in German)
