In a stirring address at TED2024, Prof. Abdoulaye DiabatĂ©, Head of Medical Entomology and Parasitology at the Research Institute in Health Sciences in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, and Principal Investigator of Target Malaria Burkina Faso, shared his journey with malaria and his resolute commitment to eradicating it. Prof. DiabatĂ©’s talk shed light on the devastating toll of malaria, particularly in Africa, and stressed the urgent need for transformative solutions.
“Malaria is tightly linked to poverty, and it is incredibly expensive to be poor,” Prof. DiabatĂ© said as he reflected on his childhood battle with the disease. âTwo hundred million cases worldwide end up sadly every year with approximately 600 000 deaths. While this is a statistic to many, to me there is a personal, tragic story. Most of these deaths happen in Africa where children and pregnant women pay the highest price.â
Prof. DiabatĂ©’s firsthand experience highlights the profound impact of malaria on individuals and families, motivating his tireless efforts to end malaria in his lifetime.
Target Malaria is an international research consortium of scientists, stakeholder engagement teams, risk assessment specialists, and communication and regulatory experts from Africa, North America and Europe, dedicated to eradicating malaria. As the Principal Investigator of Target Malaria in Burkina Faso, Prof. DiabatĂ© highlighted the consortium’s collaborative efforts across countries severely affected by malaria in Africa and their partners in the US, UK, and Italy. He emphasised the potential of gene drive technology to revolutionise malaria control, offering a sustainable and cost-effective approach to combating the disease.
Acknowledging the challenges and scepticism surrounding gene drive technology, particularly in Africa, Prof DiabatĂ© highlighted Target Malaria’s commitment to transparent stakeholder engagement and capacity building, empowering African scientists to lead the fight against malaria.Â
Target Malaria prioritises public involvement throughout the research process, ensuring that community members play an active role in shaping research design, implementation, and outcomes. The consortium prioritises the invaluable perspectives that the communities, and their leaders, bring to the table. âWe do not separate research from society. A large part of our work involves fostering meaningful collaboration every step of the way. These are the people most affected by the disease and their opinions are imperative to the success of our work,â he adds.
The stakeholder engagement strategy involves social scientists, communications experts, and engagement practitioners dedicated to fostering dialogue across all levels of stakeholders. âDrawing from these insights, we tailor a range of communication tools to effectively convey information about our project and malaria prevention methods. Our approach ensures that information is accessible and relevant to each audience, fostering informed decision-making and collaborative action towards our shared goal of malaria eradicationâ he said.
Reflecting on his experience at TED2024 and on World Malaria Day (April 25th), Prof. DiabatĂ© expressed gratitude for the recognition of his work on the world stage. “Being at TED has been an energizing experience. It’s a testament to the importance of our collective efforts to use human ingenuity to end malaria and improve global health.”
Even more poignant was his commitment to contributing to an Africa free of malaria. Prof DiabatĂ©âs address put the skills and expertise of African science on the world stage. His vision offers a beacon of hope and his address ignited conversations, inspiring support for Target Malariaâs gene drive technology and for supporting the development of a new generation of African scientists.
