'Our malaria research helps us to respond to new threats like Covid'

SCIENTISTS have urged ministers to keep up investment in malaria research, saying cuts could reverse decades of progress.

- Hanna Geissler Health Editor

Britain has played a leading role in halving the global malaria mortality rate over the last 20 years. Decades of investment in the field also helped underpin our response to Covid.

However, it faces a resurgence in cases fuelled by extreme weather events, rising drug and insecticide resistance, funding shortfalls, conflicts and global insecurity.

Malaria, mostly found in tropical countries, is a life-threatening disease spread to humans by some mosquito species.

A report by charity Malaria No More UK says research has benefits far beyond countries affected directly. They include the discovery of new cancer treatments and pandemic defences that help British patients.

The UK is currently the second-largest recipient of global malaria research and development funding, the charity says.

Gareth Jenkins, of Malaria No More, said British expertise “contributes to saving millions of lives...and makes the UK safer in the process”.

He added: “It might seem counter-intuitive as we don’t experience the disease here, but our scientists working to tackle malaria also make a significant contribution to our economy and health system.