Mosquito-borne diseases are making headlines. Zika, a previously little-known virus spread by mosquitos, was declared an international public health emergency this month by the World Health Organization. Malaria, another mosquito-driven scourge that has been killing humans for centuries, is now the target of an ambitious global eradication effort. President Barack Obama recently called for an end to malaria in his State of the Union address and reinforced that commitment by increasing malaria funding in his proposed budget. This follows shortly on the heels of significant new financial support made by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the U.K. government.
But eradicating malaria won’t happen without continued U.S. commitment to support global health innovation. Now more than ever, we must increase funding for the successful President’s Malaria Initiative, started by President George W. Bush and The Global Fund in 2005. The end of malaria is within reach. Continued research and development of diagnostics, drugs, insecticides and vaccines is vital to finish the job.
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