New malaria maps designed to guide fight against disease

A new set of maps has revealed the worldwide risk of the most deadly form of malaria. The researchers from the Malaria Atlas Project (MAP), primarily funded by Wellcome Trust, have assembled the maps as the result of a two-year effort to compile data on Plasmodium falciparum malaria. The maps, which show stark variations in malaria risks over short geographical distances, will help to direct the allocation of funds to fight malaria. “These maps are designed to help unravel that complexity and provide a practical guide to help target resources,” explains Dr. Simon Hay, leader of the MAP group at Oxford University. The maps also indicate low transmission rates in areas already participating in malaria elimination programs. “Mapping transmission levels in detail helps to guide these initiatives and highlights how, with concerted effort and sustained financing, we can continue to shrink the malaria map,” says Sir Richard Feachem, Chair of the Malaria Elimination Group.