Malaria elimination gaining ground in the Asia Pacific

Countries in the Asia Pacific region are making substantial progress toward eliminating malaria, but their success stories are rarely heard by a global audience. “Malaria 2012: Saving Lives in the Asia-Pacific,” a conference hosted by the Australian Government in Sydney, Australia from October 31 to November 2, 2012, will provide a unique opportunity to showcase the region’s work in driving down malaria transmission. One of the features of Malaria 2012 will be the Asia Pacific Malaria Elimination Network (APMEN), which has focused on harnessing the collective experiences of 13 countries through regional political and technical collaboration since its inception in 2009. Run by country partners, APMEN unites a range of partners – from national malaria programmes and academic institutions to global and regional policymaking bodies – to support each country’s malaria elimination goals through knowledge sharing, capacity building, operational research and advocacy.