Comic Relief and GSK Collaborates to Reduce Global Malarial Rates By 2030

Drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Comic Relief has formed a five-year partnership to reduce the global malaria burden by 2030. Comic relief and GSK has contributed £5m and £17m respectively for reducing malaria in five endemic countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.//The partnership aims to support the World Health Organization’s target to cut malaria case incidence and mortality rates by 90% over the next 15 years and the Roll Back Malaria partnership’s goal of a malaria-free world.

WHO strategy focuses on bolstering global and national programs to control malaria and increase access to diagnosis, prevention and treatment. There were an estimated 214 million new malaria cases and 438,000 deaths – 90% of which were in Africa in 2015.

Ramil Burden, Vice-President for Africa and Developing Countries at GSK, said, “As a healthcare company, GSK has long been involved in battling this disease but we know more needs to be done; we are delighted to partner with Comic Relief, who bring a deep understanding of supporting communities to improve health and prospects. Our partnership will support global efforts aimed at trying to reduce the burden of malaria by 90% by 2030. Not only will this help unlock human and economic potential, but it will also provide a springboard for managing other current and future health challenges.”

Source-Medindia