|
 Malaria
in Africa has been variously described as the public
health enemy number one or the greatest shackle to
socioeconomic development. Unfortunately the situation
is deteriorating since we are almost exhausting the
antimalarial arsenal. The need for sharpening existing
malaria management tools is obvious, as is the need to
develop completely new malaria control and prevention
tools. The problem is compounded by weak health
research systems that badly need overhaul. Given these
realities, the need for developing malaria vaccines as
new malaria prevention tools and that for building
capacity to enable African institutions to participate
fully in the development of these new tools becomes
obvious.
The African Malaria Network Trust (AMANET)
whose mission is to promote capacity strengthening and
networking of malaria R&D in Africa was legally
established on 14 March 2002; the year 2004 was
therefore its third year of operation. Although three
years is a very short time in the life of an
institution, AMANET was able to make considerable
progress during this period as is evident from this
annual report. This report presents the range of
activities undertaken by the AMANET organs namely the
General Assembly, the Board of Trustees, the
Scientific Coordinating Committee, the Trial Sites
Development Committee and the Secretariat.
The report also covers the work of our research
partners across Africa who have participated in
various AMANET capacity strengthening activities,
particularly the training workshops, long-term
professional training, networking of research
activities, improvement of infrastructure and
provision of equipment. The funding of a malaria
vaccine trial in Burkina Faso calls for special
mention since the trial team is entirely Burkinabé,
the trial monitor Malian and quality assurance is
provided by a Senegalese scientist. This is probably
the first time ever that an African NGO has funded an
entirely African network of scientists and
institutions to undertake a vaccine development trial
that meets stringent international scientific, ethical
and GCP standards. Furthermore, the trial has put the
trial centre on the global map.
We of the AMANET Secretariat are very much encouraged
by the achievements made during the year and take this
opportunity to thank all our stakeholders,
particularly the members of AMANET statutory bodies
and our collaborators across Africa and beyond.
Furthermore, AMANET is especially grateful to the
European Commission (DG-Research and AIDCO), the
Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DGIS) and the
Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) for
their generous financial support, without which the
year 2004 would not have been so successful. On behalf
of the AMANET Secretariat and on my
own behalf I am wishing each and every one a
successful 2005.
Prof.
Wen L. Kilama
Managing Trustee
AMANET
|
