A networking reception at this year’s Conservative Party Conference (Birmingham, 2nd to 5th October 2022), hosted by ConservativeHome and Malaria No More UK, brought together leading scientists, innovators and policy-makers to celebrate the work of female scientists and health workers in the fight against malaria.

“The Innovative Vector Control Consortium [IVCC] … are bringing together public and private sectors to drive innovation [to] develop new tools to keep mosquitos at bay…” Baroness Sugg (Chair of Malaria No More UK).

In conversation with the UK’s new Minster for Africa, Gillian Keegan MP, James Sunderland (Vice-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group [APPG] on Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases) and Baroness Sugg, IVCC highlighted why vector control innovation and product development partnerships are needed more than ever to combat the emerging threat of insecticide resistance which is reducing the efficacy of established tools.

As  examples of the innovative technologies in its pipeline, IVCC showcased BASF’s Interceptor® G2 bed net, a dual-insecticide net with an innovative mode of action,  Interceptor® G2 is currently being deployed through the IVCC led New Nets Project (NNP) in sub-Saharan Africa in order to demonstrate public health value and build the evidence case to obtain a WHO PQ listing.  In addition, a new outdoor biting intervention called Attractive Targeted Sugar Bait (ATSB®), which is also supported by IVCC, is currently undergoing large-scale epidemiological trials across three countries, Mali, Zambia and Kenya.

“It’s great to see the fantastic work the [IVCC] is doing. Including the bed netting that can kill mosquitoes resistant to traditional insecticides and believed to have averted up to 27 million cases,” Gillian Keegan MP (Minister for Africa).

The event also presented an opportunity to call on the UK government to continue its leadership in the fight against malaria by renewing its financial pledge the Global Fund (a worldwide movement to defeat HIV, TB and malaria), before the 31^st October deadline.

“… the replenishment of the global fund is essential. It provides over half the international funding for malaria control. Things like bed nets, antimalarials and from next year, hopefully, vaccines too.” Prof. Katie Ewer (Associate Professor at the Jenner Institute).

Watch the opening remarks by Mark Wallace, Chief Executive (ConservativeHome) and speeches by Gillian Keegan MP, Baroness Sugg, Prof. Katie Ewer on the importance of British science in leading the way on malaria eradication.

Image: From L to R, Gillian Keegan MP (Minster for Africa) and Baroness Sugg (Chair of Malaria No More UK), talk to Chris Larkin (IVCC Director of Communications and Operations) about vector control tools, including BASF’s Interceptor® G2 bed net (in the pink packaging in the foreground) and ATSB® (far end of the stand), during the Leading The Way on Malaria Eradication event at the Conservative Party Conference, October 2022.

It is with great sadness that IVCC acknowledges the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, after 70 years of dedicated service.

We would like to join the nation in offering our condolences to the Royal Family.

Image:   The Queen talks informally with students and staff from the Liverpool School Tropical Medicine in 1954

IVCC is delighted to take part in the upcoming Annual Conference of the Pan African Mosquito Association (PAMCA) in Kigali, Rwanda from the 26th to 28th September. With a focus on harnessing local institutional & community support for the elimination of vector-borne diseases (VBDs), this year’s conference will be thought-provoking and stimulating.

To find out about the work of IVCC, it’s partnerships and its pipeline of innovative vector control solutions, visit the IVCC booth throughout the conference.

IVCC will also contribute to several Parallel Symposiums, Parallel Scientific Sessions, and Turbo Talks, presenting updates about specific projects and initiatives. IVCC project partners will showcase the latest developments in three large epidemiological studies for Attractive Targeted Sugar Baits (ATSB ®) at the Monday 26^th (15:30-17:00*) turbo talks and at the Parallel Symposium 6: Presenting the ATSB® (Attractive Targeted Sugar Bait); a novel outdoor intervention (Wednesday 28^th, 14:00 to 15:30).

Indoor residual spraying (IRS) is another important topic at PAMCA 2022. IVCC team members Graham Small and Janneke Snetselaar will present results on the bioefficacy of VECTRON™ T500 in laboratory, experimental hut and community trials during Parallel Symposium 3: Supporting improved insect resistance management strategies – a new mode of action for Indoor Residual Spray (IRS) programmes (Monday 26^th September, 14:00 to 15:30.

Led by IVCC, the New Nets Project (NNP) is piloting new tools to strengthen the insecticide-treated net (ITN) market. At PAMCA, NNP Partners will present results of field trials, including access, use, barriers to use, entomological findings, bio-efficacy, and durability studies of the dual insecticide nets in Mozambique, Rwanda and Tanzania. There are poster presentations daily, as well as an oral presentation. Visit the conference programme for full details.

Find out more about 8^th PAMCA Annual Conference and Exhibition online, including the full conference programme, details about keynote speakers, the event’s sponsors and exhibitors.

*all times shown are given in Central Africa Time, the local time zone (Rwanda is GMT+2h).