Malaria clinical trials alliance for Africa

The Seattle, USA-based Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has given $17.0 million to the Kanda, Ghana-headquar-tered International Network of field sites with continuous Demographic Evaluation of Populations and Their Health in developing countries (INDEPTH Network), in support of a newly-established Malaria Clinical Trials Alliance.

Nine countries' research centers benefit

The MCTA initiative is aimed at providing training and technical assistance to clinical research centers in nine African countries: Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal and Tanzania. Fred Binka, executive director of the INDEPTH Network, explained the purpose of the clinical trials. he said: "impor-tant progress is being made in developing new malaria drugs and vaccines, but there are not enough research sites in Africa to conduct the trials that are needed. The funding that we have received from the Gates Foundation ... will help accelerate research that could save millions of lives."