Asia-Pacific Regional Centre - Australia

Malaria elimination in the Asia-Pacific faces two major challenges. First, the emergence and spread of multidrug resistant falciparum malaria, including parasites resistant to artemisinin, which are spreading beyond their epicentre in the Greater Mekong Subregion. Second, a rising burden of Plasmodium vivax, which is now the predominant species causing malaria across much of the region.

Health worker with mother and child
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Photo Chhor Sokunthea, World Bank

To improve regional intelligence and aid containment efforts, the WWARN Asia-Pacific Regional Centre - Australia promotes the collection of high-quality data on antimalarial drug efficacy and surveillance of drug resistant parasites. We facilitate the use of WWARN’s research and data analysis tools to simplify and harmonise data, securely store results and analyse comparative or collective pooled analyses.

Activities in Australia to support endemic regions in Asia

  • Development and promotion of standardised tools to collect, collate and map multidrug resistant malaria
  • Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modelling to optimise dosing strategies for combination therapy for multidrug resistant malaria
  • Meta-analytic approaches to optimise the radical cure of Plasmodium vivax malaria through safer and more effective use of primaquine and tafenoquine

Become a part of the WWARN community 

The WWARN Asia-Pacific Regional Centre - Australia invites you to get involved in our activities, including creating or joining a Study Group, or share your ideas for a training workshop. Register to receive our latest news and updates in the WWARN newsletter.

For more information contact: Professor Ric Price Ric.Price@menzies.edu.au or Professor Julie Simpson julieas@unimelb.edu.au