British scientists issue funding plea to fight disease that kills 600,000 every year

Scientists have issued a plea for the Government to maintain strong investment in malaria research, amid fears that cuts could reverse decades of progress against the disease. The UK has played a leading role in gains that have halved the global malaria mortality rate over the last 20 years, saving millions of lives. But the field faces a perfect storm of a resurgence in cases fuelled by extreme events, rising drug and insecticide resistance, funding shortfalls, and rising conflict and global insecurity.

A new report from charity Malaria No More UK argues that the research has wide-ranging benefits far beyond countries directly affected by the disease, including the discovery of new treatments and defences that benefit British patients. Maintaining a thriving research landscape also supports the , with the UK ranking as the second-largest recipient of global malaria research and development funding, according to the report.

Gareth Jenkins, the charity's executive director of advocacy and strategy, said our expertise "contributes to saving millions of lives...and makes the UK safer in the process".

He added: "It might seem counterintuitive as we don't experience the disease here, but our scientists working to tackle malaria also make a significant contribution to our national economy and health system, too.

"The bed nets, drugs and vaccines our scientists develop to protect those at risk of the disease help to drive private sector investment and create jobs, all leading to more growth in the UK economy.

"And expertise in malaria science can help tackle other diseases and health conditions which we do experience here."

Oxford University research has shown that the anti-malarial drug atovaquone could improve treatment outcomes for patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Results from a larger trial are due later this year.

Meanwhile, the UK's response to the pandemic was underpinned by decades of investment in the field. Partnerships between Oxford University and the Serum Institute of India for malaria production laid the groundwork for rapid deployment of the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab.

And top epidemiologists from leading institutions such as Imperial College London and the University of Glasgow were consulted to guide government policy and develop diagnostics.

Professor Azra Ghani, academic director of Imperial Global Singapore, said: "As a malaria scientist, it was clearly visible to me during the early days of the Covid pandemic how transferable our scientific training was when it comes to responding to new threats.

"Many members of my research group were able to quickly pivot the skills that they had acquired through malaria epidemiological research to support the UK and international response.

"While our goal is to eradicate malaria, the knowledge that we gain in researching this is equally valuable in that the UK is prepared for future threats."

Dr Mehreen Datoo, an expert in infectious diseases at the University of Oxford who helped develop the Oxford R21/Matrix-M jab, said investing in neglected disease research will "ensure the UK remains a world leader in scientific innovation while improving the lives of countless people".

Ahead of next month's Spending Review and with the Government under pressure to increase spending in other areas such as defence, the charity is urging ministers to hold firm on support for scientists.

The UK Government has invested £527m in malaria R&D since 2007. The charity estimates that if that level is sustained, it will generate a boost of £2bn to UK GDP by 2040.

Malaria No More also wants to see continued support for global bodies such as Gavi and The Global Fund which help supply malaria defences and treatments to countries that need them.

The Global Fund - a worldwide partnership against HIV, TB and malaria - is entering its eighth replenishment cycle for 2026-28, with an announcement on the UK's contribution expected towards the end of this year. The UK pledged £1bn in the previous round, which raised $18bn overall.

Lottie Renwick, Malaria No More UK's head of strategy and policy, added: "The UK Government has been a steadfast backer of British science for decades.

"This has given our scientists the confidence required for them to make great leaps in scientific understanding to develop next-generation bed nets, new drugs and pioneering vaccines.

"This not only means fostering UK R&D but also funding global health bodies so that the tools we create here can reach those who need, instead of going unused in labs and warehouses."

The UK's role in the global malaria fight

THE UK has played a leading role in the battle against malaria since doctor Sir Ronald Ross discovered that it was transmitted by mosquitoes over 125 years ago.

He was the first Briton to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine, after finding the malaria parasite inside the stomach tissue of an Anopheles mosquito.

The county has since been at the forefront of efforts to develop vaccines, drugs, and crucial strategies to prevent transmission.

In recent years, two vaccines pioneered in this country by GSK, Oxford University and partners have been deployed and breathed new life into the battle against the disease.

The World Health Organisation's latest malaria report found 2.2 billion cases of malaria and 12.7 million deaths have been prevented since 2000. However, it still claimed 579,000 lives in 2023. This was down slightly from 619,000 in 2022.

Daily Express readers will be aware of the geopolitical threats we face today and the government's steps to bolster security by increasing defence spending and firming up international ties. But there is even more we can do to make the country safer.

We can draw on the things we do best as a nation, even if they might not seem obvious at first - like malaria science. Working with partners around the world, British scientists have long been some of the best at understanding and fighting malaria.

Over 125 years ago, it was a Brit called Sir Ronald Ross who discovered the disease was transmitted by mosquitoes and became the first British Nobel laureate for his efforts.

Since then, British scientists have helped spearhead the fight against one of the world's oldest and deadliest diseases, so today malaria kills over 300,000 fewer children a year than it did a generation ago.

This has helped to save the lives of millions of children around the world, but it also makes the UK stronger.

Take our economy. According to our new 'Securing Britain's Future' report, malaria R&D can boost the UK economy by over £2 billion as well as driving private-sector investment and creating British jobs.

Our malaria scientists can help to protect the NHS too. During the Covid-19 pandemic, for example, UK malaria scientists were among the first to help understand how the disease was spreading and set up new testing facilities.

It was scientists originally working on a vaccine for malaria who helped develop one for Covid-19 which saved British lives. And beyond Covid-19, malaria science has even helped improve our understanding of lung cancer treatments and immunotherapy.

As well as saving lives around the world, British malaria scientists have also helped to save and improve lives right here in the UK whilst boosting our national economy.

Which is why we need the government to keep investing in malaria science by backing the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance.

These organisations help get these life-saving innovations to those who need them and this year they are topping up their budgets for the years ahead.

Without their support, we risk these tools going unused and reducing the incentive for future developments.

We hope the government heeds this call and continues our proud tradition as a global leader in malaria science. Doing so will save lives and make the UK safer.