Malaria is on the rise in Africa, killing close to one million people–
mostly children – on the continent every year. The disease accounts for
30% to 50% of hospital admissions and drains an estimated $12 billion
annually from African economies. Many factors contribute to the
resurgence of the disease, but high resistance levels of the most deadly
malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, to classic drug treatments
– chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine – have contributed to rising
mortality rates.
However, artemisinin derivatives, when used in combination with
other drugs, have shown remarkable effectiveness in treating malaria.
The World Health Organization has recommended artemisinin-based
combination therapy (ACT) to replace the failing drugs in order to reduce
mortality and delay further development of resistance. Yet, progress has
been slow in getting these new medicines to patients.
SYMPOSIUM SITE:
Alfred Lerner Hall
Columbia University, New York
April 29-30, 2004
RSVP: malaria.symposium@newyork.msf.org or (212) 763-5705
GET MAP FROM:
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/aboutcolumbia/maps/sectionH.html
SYMPOSIUM OBJECTIVE
The "ACT NOW" symposium will bring together a wide range of
experts in the field of infectious diseases as well as drug manufacturers,
economists, rapid-diagnostic manufacturers, health experts from malariastricken
countries, policy makers, and donors to discuss practical ways of
making ACT accessible to the millions of people infected with malaria on
the African continent and elsewhere.
 Click here to read a joint statement from the co-organizers
AGENDA
Click here for full agenda
ABOUT THE SPONSORS
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS/MÉDECINS SANS FRONTIÈRES
Founded in 1971, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières
(MSF) delivers emergency medical care to people in crisis in nearly 80
countries worldwide. An independent, international humanitarian organization,
MSF works primarily with victims of armed conflict, epidemics,
and natural and man-made disasters, as well as with people excluded from
health care services. In 1999, MSF was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Read more about malaria from MSF
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY’S CENTER FOR GLOBAL HEALTH
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AT THE MAILMAN SCHOOL
OF PUBLIC HEALTH
The Center for Global Health and Economic Development (CGHED)
is a joint venture of the Columbia University Mailman School of Public
Health and the Earth Institute at Columbia University to mobilize global
health programs that help resource-poor countries address the burden of
disease. CGHED is based at the Mailman School.
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
The World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations specialized
agency for health, was established on April 7, 1948. WHO's objective, as
set out in its Constitution, is the attainment by all peoples of the highest
possible level of health. Health is defined in WHO's Constitution as a state
of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity.
UNICEF
For nearly 60 years UNICEF has been the world's leader for children,
working on the ground in 158 countries to help children survive and thrive,
from early childhood through adolescence. The world's largest provider of
vaccines for poor countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition,
quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of
children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely
by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and
governments.
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