66th World Health Assembly to discuss malaria

16 May 2013 – Malaria will be on the agenda of the Sixty-sixth session of the World Health Assembly (20-28 May 2013). Member States will review progress in the implementation of the most recent World Health Assembly Resolution on malaria, and will deliberate about challenges facing malaria control and elimination programmes. The two key background documents for the discussion are the latest Report by the Secretariat and Resolution WHA 64.17.

• Report by the Secretariat on malaria, March 2013
  pdf, 173kb
• Resolution WHA 64.17 on malaria, May 2011
  pdf, 20kb

25 April 2013 – World Malaria Day was instituted by WHO Member States during the 2007 World Health Assembly and is held every year on 25 April. This year, WHO highlighted the need for continued investment and sustained political commitment for global malaria prevention and control. The Organization also warned about the threat of emerging drug and insecticide resistance. On 25 April, WHO launched an emergency response to artemisinin resistance in the Greater Mekong subregion at an event hosted in Phnom Penh by the Cambodian Minister of Health.

• News Release: WHO launches emergency response to antimalarial drug resistance
• Q&A on artemisinin resistance

23 April 2013 – The WHO Global Malaria Programme has released a new operational manual on indoor residual spraying (IRS). The manual has been developed to enhance existing knowledge and skills in this field. It is intended to assist all stakeholders – whether they focus on programme management, entomology, vector control or public health – in the design, implementation and maintenance of high-quality IRS programmes.

• Indoor residual spraying: An operational manual for IRS for malaria transmission, control and elimination
• The use of DDT in malaria vector control – WHO position statement