Follow Us on Google
From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Chief Scientific Officer of Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) in Geneva, Switzerland, Dr. Timothy Wells has advocated that the global efforts to eliminate malaria must be backed by a continuous search for new medicines and stronger regulatory systems in order to stay ahead of increasing drug resistance challenge.
Dr. Well made the suggestions at a leadership development course for stakeholders in malaria management titled “Science of Defeating Malaria” in Abuja, on Tuesday.
He warned that while current malaria medicines remain effective, research and history has shown that resistance can eventually undermine even the most successful treatments.
He noted that chloroquine resistance was largely responsible for derailing earlier malaria elimination efforts in the 1960s, stressing the need to ensure that next-generation drugs are ready before existing treatments begin to fail.
“We have the tools to get around resistance at the moment, but what we do not want is a situation where all available drugs fail and there is nothing ready to replace them,” he said.
Dr. Wells explained that malaria interventions over the past two decades have focused primarily on children under five because they account for the highest mortality burden. “However, future elimination efforts may require broader protection that extends to older children, adolescents, adults and pregnant women,” he predicted.
He noted that several countries are already exploring the expansion of Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) beyond younger children, while researchers are developing medicines that can provide protection across all age groups.
He said one of the most promising innovations in the fight against malaria is the development of long-acting injectable medicines capable of protecting people against malaria for several months.
Other News
With reference to advances in HIV prevention, Dr. Wells said researchers hope to develop malaria injections that could offer protection for up to six months with a single dose.
He also highlighted ongoing research collaborations across Africa that are identifying new drug targets and accelerating the discovery of innovative malaria treatments. “But beyond medicines scientists are investigating new approaches that combine drug-based protection with vector control measures aimed at reducing mosquito transmission.
“We know it is possible to use medicines that can interrupt the ability of insects to feed and transmit disease. Similar approaches are already used successfully in animal health, and this is an area generating significant interest for human applications,” he said.
Despite the promise of these innovations, Dr. Wells cautioned that bringing new malaria medicines to market remains a lengthy process. “Clinical trials involving adults and children can take six to seven years, followed by regulatory approvals and endorsement processes that often require additional time,” he noted.
He, however, expressed optimism that reforms in Africa’s regulatory environment could significantly shorten the time between scientific discovery and public access to new treatments.
Dr. Wells pointed to the emergence of the African Medicines Agency and improvements within national regulatory authorities in countries such as Nigeria, Ghana and Rwanda as important milestones.
He noted that stronger and more competent regulatory agencies will enable African countries to make faster, evidence-based decisions on medicine approvals while reducing dependence on external authorities.
“Countries are increasingly building the capacity to evaluate and approve medicines independently. That may sound like a technical issue, but it is a major step forward because it gives African nations greater control over the health tools they need,” he said.
As malaria-endemic countries continue to pursue elimination targets, Wells stressed that preparedness, innovation and regulatory efficiency will remain critical to ensuring that future treatment challenges do not undermine decades of progress.
