IVCC supports event to celebrate the work of female scientists and health workers leading the fight against malaria
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 31st 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.
