United Arab Emirates Takes the Forefront in Malaria Eradication Efforts through Assertive Programs and Financial Commitment
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) continues to play a significant role in the global fight against malaria, combining financial commitments, innovative vector control technologies, and collaborative international initiatives.
One of the UAE's key strategies is the **Reaching the Last Mile** initiative, a global health programme aimed at eliminating infectious diseases by improving access to health services in hard-to-reach communities. This initiative, hosted by the UAE, works closely with the Global Fund, focusing on empowering community health workers and scaling up innovative interventions to reach populations vulnerable to malaria and other diseases.
Financial support is another crucial aspect of the UAE's malaria eradication efforts. In 2020, the UAE pledged €50 million for the Global Fund’s Sixth Replenishment covering 2020-2022, demonstrating its commitment to financing malaria eradication and other health priorities globally. Although there were no pledges reported for 2023-2025, the UAE remains a vocal advocate, especially emphasizing the intersection of climate change and global health, a critical factor affecting malaria transmission.
Innovation is at the heart of the UAE's malaria combat strategies. Within Abu Dhabi, a smart network technology for mosquito control has been implemented to combat vector-borne diseases, including malaria. This approach uses scientific monitoring and technological innovation to track and reduce mosquito populations effectively, decreasing reliance on pesticides and lowering operational costs.
The UAE's strategic global partnerships include Malaria No More, Gavi (the Vaccine Alliance), the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, and others. Although direct mention of Malaria No More is not found in the search results, the UAE’s engagement with Gavi positions it as a key partner in global malaria vaccination, prevention, and control programmes. Gavi’s efforts have immunized over one billion children globally, which supports malaria control as part of childhood vaccine programmes, and the UAE’s backing indirectly enhances these outcomes.
The UAE's malaria eradication efforts extend to climate-health intersections. The Forecasting Healthy Futures initiative focuses on the link between climate change and vector-borne diseases, while the Institute for Malaria and Climate Solutions is dedicated to studying the growing link between climate change and malaria.
Domestically, the Ministry of Health and Prevention in the UAE maintains a rigorous surveillance and prevention system for imported malaria cases. The UAE has been malaria-free since 1997, marking 28 years without a locally transmitted case.
GLIDE, established in 2019 and backed by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, champions research and evidence-based strategies to drive global malaria elimination efforts. In April 2024, the Last Mile Initiative announced a second grant of AED55 million to GLIDE, reinforcing the UAE's investment in global health. GLIDE has launched programmes across nearly 30 countries, tackling disease control challenges where health systems are often under-resourced.
On World Malaria Day, Dr. Farida Al Hosani of the Global Institute for Disease Elimination (GLIDE) reaffirmed the UAE's commitment to ending malaria, highlighting the UAE’s ongoing and significant role in global malaria combat efforts.
- The UAE's strategic partnership with Malaria No More, although not directly mentioned, is inferred through the UAE's engagement with Gavi, positioning it as a key partner in global malaria vaccination, prevention, and control programs.
- The UAE's investment in future health advancements is evident as GLIDE, championing research and evidence-based strategies, receives a second grant of AED55 million, reinforcing the UAE's commitment to global malaria elimination efforts.
- Recognizing the growing link between climate change and malaria, the UAE fosters innovation in environmental science by establishing initiatives like Forecasting Healthy Futures and the Institute for Malaria and Climate Solutions.
- In addition to malaria, the UAE's health-and-wellness agenda includes investment in research and development, as demonstrated by its financial pledge for the Global Fund, contributing to the eradication of various infectious diseases and setting a global example for health leadership.
- Expanding beyond malaria, the UAE's commitment to scientific research contributes to various fields, including medical-conditions and environmental-science, in order to ensure a healthier and more sustainable future for all.
