MARCAD-Plus participation at the 8th Pan-African Malaria Conference

The Malaria and NTDs Research Capacity Development in West and Central Africa (MARCAD-Plus) participated in the 8^th Pan-African Malaria Conference of the Multilateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM) Society, held from April 21-27, 2024 at the Convention Centre in Kigali-Rwanda. The conference was organized by the MIM society in collaboration with the Ministry of Health-Rwanda and the Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC).

The minister of Health of Rwanda, Dr Sabin Nsanzimana led the official opening ceremony of the meeting which brought together global experts to discuss the latest achievements, research, and innovations in malaria prevention and treatment.

"Our generation can end malaria. Let's keep fighting together to achieve a zero malaria world, so that we don’t pass the burden to our grandchildren." said the Rwandan Minister of Health in his opening remarks.

‘’Grassroots Mobilization to End Malaria: Invest, Innovate and Integrate,’’ is the MIM 2024 conference theme. It highlights the significance of grassroots efforts, innovation, and research in developing new tools and technologies for malaria control.

In her welcome remarks, Prof. Leke, Chair of the (MIM) Secretariat, highlighted recent advancements in malaria prevention, including the RTS, S vaccine. She reflected on the journey leading to the conference, acknowledging milestones and challenges since the last meeting in Dakar in 2018.

The 8th Pan-African Malaria provided a platform for researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders to share experiences and insights on addressing Malaria as a critical public health concern.

Around 1,500 scientists and policy-makers from across Africa and beyond attended the event in Kigali to discuss how to eliminate malaria in Africa.

About the MIM Society

The Multilateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM) is a global alliance of citizens, institutions, funding partners and constituents having a shared goal of fostering scientific research capacity in Africa to defeat and eradicate malaria in the continent. The MIM was launched in 1997 following the first Pan-African Malaria Conference in Dakar, Senegal, which brought together prominent malaria scientists, representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO), and funding organizations from all over the world. The conference identified important research priorities for future malaria research. Since its establishment, the MIM has been instrumental in strengthening research capacity in Africa, increasing international cooperation and communication, and using research findings to inform the malaria prevention, treatment, and control focused on developing sustainable malaria research capacity in Africa.