Malaria a major threat, but research still limited
Bill and Melina Gates Foundation has committed $258.3 million for malaria research and development
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2014-08-21 00:45 GMT
Hyderabad: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which believes that controlling mosquitoes is the key to controlling malaria, has committed $258.3 million for malaria research and development.
Insecticides are usually used to reduce mosquitoes, but the pests have developed a resistance to those. This requires new varieties of chemicals to be invented, and it is a challenging task as the safety of humans and the environment is a major concern.
The research on malaria drugs has been limited. The foundation is working along with scientists on 20 new compounds. New methods and alert health officers are required to spot breeding grounds of the pests.
Stagnant water forms a congenial breeding ground for mosquitoes. In New Delhi, water used in coolers during summers, became havens for mosquito larvae. These resulted in several dengue and malaria cases in the capital.
The West has successfully managed to tackle the mosquito menace and diseases. Developing countries are still grappling with the problem owing to poverty, lack of proper healthcare, education and awareness.