The control, elimination, and eradication of malaria is complicated as it reflect a highly complex set of interactions between the parasite, the human host, and vectors responsible for transmission and the environmental, social, economic, and behavioral factors that foster these interactions. Ideally, any roadblock to cease the life cycle should effectively interrupt transmission and facilitate eradication efforts; however, there has been no single intervention to achieve this effort. According to the Malaria Eradication Research Agenda initiative (MalERA) through collaboration with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), there are four keys identified as first steps in efforts to control the disease:
- Increase the fundamental understanding of the complex interactions among malaria parasites, mosquito vectors responsible for their transmission, and the human host.
- Strengthen the ability to identify, develop, validate, and evaluate new tools and strategies for treating, preventing, and controlling malaria.
- Enhance national and international research and training infrastructure to meet malaria research needs for community-based and supported clinical trials in malaria-endemic countries.
- Advance research to develop, support, and sustain global efforts to control, eliminate, and eventually eradicate malaria.
