Representatives from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Medicines for Malaria Venture, a non-profit organisation supported by the foundation, met with UAE Health Ministry officials yesterday to discuss the collaboration.

Thomas Brewer, senior programme officer of infectious diseases in the Global Health Programme at the foundation, told the press the centre would concentrate on developing affordable and effective medicines against the mosquito-borne disease. "It's a malaria-specific programme. Malaria is one of our largest investments because it is a major killer of children," he said,

He said the Gates foundation chose the UAE to be the research hub for the disease because of the willingness of the government to host the research facility and have collaboration between private and public sectors. He added the foundation has not decided on a location yet, saying the research centre was still in the planning stage.

Ali Shakar, undersecretary at the health ministry, told the press the centre would first concentrate on malaria before expanding to research in other infectious and non-infectious diseases.

Malaria used to be common in the UAE. It was certified a malaria-free country by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in January this year. The disease still exists in neighbouring and nearby countries, including Iran and Saudi Arabia, although they have recorded declining numbers of cases over the years.

It is still rampant in countries such as Pakistan, Sudan and Yemen. The WHO terms the disease as "the world's worst health problem" as the malaria parasite transmitted by mosquitoes has grown resistant to cheap and conventional drugs. (Gulf News)