Malaria Advocacy...The Beginnings 

Malaria Genome Focus Group

At the request of the Burroughs Wellcome Fund , the Malaria Foundation International convened the Malaria Genome Focus Group, which was held on April 7, 1997 in Rockville, Maryland, USA. This group of people came to a general consensus on a number of issues and subsequently involved the scientific community at large via its web-based communications in formulating the next steps during the early stages of the Malaria Genome Project.

The Second Global Meet on Parasitic Diseases

The "Second Global Meet Ronald Ross Centenary" was a special conference was a special conference with a focus on malaria which was sponsored by the Indian Society of Parasitology and co-sponsored by the Malaria Foundation International. The MFI assisted with program development, fundraising, a sponsored travel award program, promotion of the meeting, and the development and management of worldwide publicity. This meeting was held in Hyderabad, India from 18-22 August 1997 to commemorate the 100th year anniversary of the landmark discovery by Ronald Ross of malaria in the mosquito. This meeting was a very strong demonstration of the commitment of scientists and public health officials to malaria research and control. Over 700 people, including malaria researchers, public health specialists, government officials and industry representatives attended from over 25 countries. Goals of the meeting included strengthening of scientist cooperation aimed at reviving public and funding agencies interest in this forgotten disease.

This was the first major MALARIA meeting of its scope and provided and unprecedented example of how attention can be drawn to the malaria problem via the media. TV, radio, and the press rallied strongly behind this meeting. Since, several new global initiatives have sprung up and followed the example of large scale public advocacy to bring attention on this disease. MFI continues to create awareness through its own programs and by facilitating the progress of the others through its role as a stakeholder where the common cause of preventing or controlling malaria is at stake.

Mutley Ball

The Mutley Ball was held in 1998 in London, in memory of Vanessa Botterill, a young woman who died of malaria after being diagnosed with the disease at the end of her travels in Africa. Through this event, funds were raised to bring attention to the severity of this disease and to support the education and training of young malaria scientists from Africa. In 2001, an annual travel scholarship program was initiated to enable students and junior scientists, who are citizens residing and working in sub-Saharan African countries, to participate in international malaria meetings. (Above, see Present Projects #8).

World Wide Malaria Directory

The MFI collaborated with SHARED towards a common goal to compile the most comprehensive interactive database of people, projects, and organisations related to malaria. This database is accessible to all and it allows professionals from all over the world to interact and share resources.