Visit and Issue Report
‘The use of Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) to prevent malaria transmission’
Problem
Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected mosquitoes. In 2010, malaria caused an estimated 655,000 deaths (with an uncertainty range of 537,000 to 907,000), mostly among African children. Increased malaria prevention and control measures are dramatically reducing the malaria burden in many places but it is still a massive problem.
According to the World malaria report 2011, there were about 216 million cases of malaria (with an uncertainty range of 149 million to 274 million) and an estimated 655,000 deaths in 2010 (with an uncertainty range of 537,000 to 907,000). Malaria mortality rates have fallen by more than 25% globally since 2000 and by 33% in the WHO (World Health Organisation) African Region. Most deaths occur among children living in Africa where a child dies every minute from malaria.
Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites. The parasites are spread to people through the bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes, called "malaria vectors", which bite mainly between dusk and dawn. There are four parasite species that cause malaria in humans: * Plasmodium falciparum * Plasmodium vivax * Plasmodium malariae * Plasmodium ovale.

Approximately half of the world's population is at risk of malaria. Most malaria cases and deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa. However, Asia, Latin America, and to a lesser extent the Middle East and parts of Europe are also affected. In 2010, 99 countries and territories had on-going malaria transmission.
Specific population risk groups include: * Young children in stable transmission areas who have not yet developed protective immunity against the most severe forms of the disease. * Non-immune pregnant