Global funding trends for malaria research in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic analysis
Global funding trends for malaria research in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic analysis
Background
Total domestic and international funding for malaria is inadequate to achieve WHO global targets in burden reduction by 2030. We describe the global trends of investments for malaria-related research in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and compare investment to national disease burden to identify areas of relative funding strength and potential neglected populations. We also considered funding for malaria control (FMC).
Methods
Research funding data related to malaria from 1997-2013 was sourced from existing datasets, directly from 13 major public and philanthropic global health funders and from funding databases. Investments (reported in US dollars) were considered by geographical area of focus and compared to data on parasite prevalence and populations at risk in SSA. 45 SSA countries were ranked by research funding received.
Findings
There were 333 research awards totaling $814·4 million. Public health research covered $308·1m (37·8%) and clinical trials $275·2m (33·8%). Tanzania ($107·8m; 13·2%), Uganda ($97·9m; 12·0%) and Kenya ($92·9m; 11·4%) received highest sum research investment and the most individual research awards. Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda remain highly-ranked after adjusting for national GDP. Countries with relatively high malaria burden but receiving little research or FMC investment include Central African Republic and Sierra Leone (ranked 40th and 35th respectively). Congo and Guinea had relatively high malaria mortality rates, yet ranked 38th and 25th, respectively, receiving little investment.
Interpretation
Some countries receive relatively large investments overall (Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda) whilst others receive little or no investments for research (Sierra Leone, Central African Republic). Research investments are typically highest where there is also greatest FMC. Investment strategies should consider more equitable research and operational investments across countries to include currently neglected and vulnerable populations.
Malaria, research funding, Africa, investment
e772-e781
Head, Michael
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Goss, Sian
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Gelister, Yann
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Alegana, Victor
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Brown, Rebecca
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Clarke, Stuart
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Fitchett, Joseph R.A.
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Atun, Rifat
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Scott, J. Anthony G.
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Newell, Marie-Louise
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Padmadas, Sabu
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Tatem, Andrew
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August 2017
Head, Michael
67ce0afc-2fc3-47f4-acf2-8794d27ce69c
Goss, Sian
a339d3dd-8c1f-4742-a026-b6951d6104c7
Gelister, Yann
17881199-11b6-4757-9edb-ba6375d93459
Alegana, Victor
f5bd6ab7-459e-4122-984f-2bdb5f906d82
Brown, Rebecca
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Clarke, Stuart
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Fitchett, Joseph R.A.
3d59134c-8836-4c0c-a8bf-399b363db5e1
Atun, Rifat
20f14d3b-facf-4079-8566-eb6d13521a34
Scott, J. Anthony G.
280ad6fa-5af2-4e9a-987a-a457871a85cd
Newell, Marie-Louise
c6ff99dd-c23b-4fef-a846-a221fe2522b3
Padmadas, Sabu
64b6ab89-152b-48a3-838b-e9167964b508
Tatem, Andrew
6c6de104-a5f9-46e0-bb93-a1a7c980513e
Head, Michael, Goss, Sian, Gelister, Yann, Alegana, Victor, Brown, Rebecca, Clarke, Stuart, Fitchett, Joseph R.A., Atun, Rifat, Scott, J. Anthony G., Newell, Marie-Louise, Padmadas, Sabu and Tatem, Andrew
(2017)
Global funding trends for malaria research in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic analysis.
The Lancet Global Health, 5 (8), .
(doi:10.1016/S2214-109X(17)30245-0).
Abstract
Background
Total domestic and international funding for malaria is inadequate to achieve WHO global targets in burden reduction by 2030. We describe the global trends of investments for malaria-related research in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and compare investment to national disease burden to identify areas of relative funding strength and potential neglected populations. We also considered funding for malaria control (FMC).
Methods
Research funding data related to malaria from 1997-2013 was sourced from existing datasets, directly from 13 major public and philanthropic global health funders and from funding databases. Investments (reported in US dollars) were considered by geographical area of focus and compared to data on parasite prevalence and populations at risk in SSA. 45 SSA countries were ranked by research funding received.
Findings
There were 333 research awards totaling $814·4 million. Public health research covered $308·1m (37·8%) and clinical trials $275·2m (33·8%). Tanzania ($107·8m; 13·2%), Uganda ($97·9m; 12·0%) and Kenya ($92·9m; 11·4%) received highest sum research investment and the most individual research awards. Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda remain highly-ranked after adjusting for national GDP. Countries with relatively high malaria burden but receiving little research or FMC investment include Central African Republic and Sierra Leone (ranked 40th and 35th respectively). Congo and Guinea had relatively high malaria mortality rates, yet ranked 38th and 25th, respectively, receiving little investment.
Interpretation
Some countries receive relatively large investments overall (Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda) whilst others receive little or no investments for research (Sierra Leone, Central African Republic). Research investments are typically highest where there is also greatest FMC. Investment strategies should consider more equitable research and operational investments across countries to include currently neglected and vulnerable populations.
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More information
Accepted/In Press date: 1 June 2017
e-pub ahead of print date: 28 June 2017
Published date: August 2017
Keywords:
Malaria, research funding, Africa, investment
Organisations:
Social Statistics & Demography, WorldPop, Human Development & Health, CES General, Population, Health & Wellbeing (PHeW), Southampton Marine & Maritime Institute, Clinical & Experimental Sciences
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 410197
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/410197
ISSN: 2214-109X
PURE UUID: 6b010448-90c1-46fc-86c9-e1035e881dd9
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Date deposited: 06 Jun 2017 04:02
Last modified: 13 Nov 2021 02:54
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Contributors
Author:
Sian Goss
Author:
Yann Gelister
Author:
Rebecca Brown
Author:
Joseph R.A. Fitchett
Author:
Rifat Atun
Author:
J. Anthony G. Scott
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