MRC Centre for Outbreak Analysis & Modelling launches Malaria Tools Software to aid Malaria Elimination Scenario Planning.

To coincide with the 2014 World Malaria Day on Friday 25 April 2014, the MRC Centre for Outbreak Analysis & Modelling at Imperial College London are launching the Malaria Tools software.

This user-friendly malaria transmission model package is designed to allow National Malaria Control Programmes to explore the impact of a range of combinations of interventions on malaria transmission, morbidity and mortality.

This accompanies the release of the WHO Elimination Scenario Planning Manual which aims to provide countries with a comprehensive framework to assess different scenarios and timelines for moving towards elimination, depending on programme coverage and available funding.

Prof Azra Ghani of Imperial College London commented: “Understanding how the range of malaria interventions currently available can be combined to reduce cases and transmission is complex as it depends on the intensity of transmission and the behaviour of the mosquitoes that transmit the parasite.

Therefore the intervention mix or coverage needed to eliminate malaria in one setting will differ from than that required in another setting, even within a country.

The software allows National Malaria Control Programme staff to explore the likely impact that increasing coverage could have in their country. This can help with identifying the most effective intervention mix as well as setting appropriate goals over the next 5-10 years.”

Over the last 3 years, members of the MRC Centre for Outbreak Analysis & Modelling at Imperial College London have been working closely with colleagues at WHO and partners from the Clinton Health Access Initiative, the Global Health Group, University of California San Francisco, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Southampton to develop the manual.

The Malaria Tools software, developed at Imperial College, is designed to aid users in undertaking some of the exercises outlined in the manual.

During a workshop held with the National Malaria Control Programmes of the Gambia and Senegal in May 2012, one participant commented: “The tool helps with forward thinking to go towards pre-elimination. We realize there are elements and certain scenarios to consider. I loved the practical session on the software….we went from one scenario to another, recognized our gains and saw the impact of various interventions and value added of combining interventions.”

Downloading the Malaria Tools software

The Malaria Tools software runs on standard PCs under Windows and will shortly be available for other operating systems.

It can be downloaded from //www.imperial.ac.uk/malariamodelling/toolsdata.