Mitigating Antimalarial Resistance Consortium in South-East Africa

BACKGROUND: Gains achieved in reducing the burden of malaria and advancing its elimination are now threatened by the independent emergence and local spread of artemisinin-resistant parasites in East Africa. Protecting the efficacy of the current first-line malaria treatments, all of which are artemisinin-based, is now a top public health priority.

OBJECTIVE: The Mitigating Antimalarial Resistance Consortium for South-East Africa (MARC SE-Africa) is designed to promote the translation of evidence of artemisinin and partner drug resistance of public health significance into policy and practice.

METHODS: MARC SE-Africa brings together clinical researchers with experience in implementation research, experts in malaria chemotherapy and health policy, national malaria programmes and end users. Together we will improve estimates of antimalarial drug resistance and co-design a costed, Regional Detailed Action Plan to respond promptly to emerging antimalarial drug resistance. Dynamically-updated, evidence-based malaria treatment guidelines and graphic evidence summaries using MAGICapp will be developed, disseminated and evaluated.

EXPECTED RESULTS: Predictive maps will better define antimalarial drug resistance for all eighteen South-East African malaria-endemic countries. We will expedite evidence sharing on antimalarial drug resistance with policy makers in at least eight countries. We will help at least four countries respond promptly and effectively to these results. We will facilitate the use of evidence on antimalarial resistance to inform better malaria treatment policies and will evaluate their uptake into clinical practice by primary healthcare workers in at least two countries. This will provide an evidence-based, reproducible model to mitigate the threat of antimalarial drug resistance and ensure sustained effective malaria treatment, including for the vulnerable communities that bear a disproportionately high burden of malaria and its sub-optimal treatment.