Commentary
Malaria and urbanization in sub-Saharan Africa
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* Corresponding author: Martin J Donnelly m.j.donnelly@liv.ac.uk
1 Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA. UK
2 Swiss Tropical Institute, P.O. Box, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
3 Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, B-2000 Antwerp, Belgium
4 International Water Management Institute Sri Lanka127, Sunil Mawatha, Pelawatte, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka
5 Institute of Public Health, Department of International Health, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 32200 København, Denmark
6 International Water Management Institute (West Africa), PMB CT 112, Cantonments, Accra, Ghana
7 Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, BP 1386, CP 18524, Dakar, Sénégal
8 Systemwide Initiative on Malaria and Agriculture, International Water Management Institute, Private Bag X813, Silverton 0127, South Africa
Malaria Journal 2005, 4:12 doi:10.1186/1475-2875-4-12
Published: 18 February 2005Abstract
There are already 40 cities in Africa with over 1 million inhabitants and the United Nations Environmental Programme estimates that by 2025 over 800 million people will live in urban areas. Recognizing that malaria control can improve the health of the vulnerable and remove a major obstacle to their economic development, the Malaria Knowledge Programme of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and the Systemwide Initiative on Malaria and Agriculture convened a multi-sectoral technical consultation on urban malaria in Pretoria, South Africa from 2nd to 4th December, 2004. The aim of the meeting was to identify strategies for the assessment and control of urban malaria. This commentary reflects the discussions held during the meeting and aims to inform researchers and policy makers of the potential for containing and reversing the emerging problem of urban malaria.