Karachi: In a bold move to tackle one of Pakistan’s most pressing public health challenges, the Aga Khan University (AKU) has launched the Thatta Malaria Elimination Plan (TMEP)—a landmark initiative unveiled on World Malaria Day to eliminate malaria from Thatta, one of the most malaria-affected districts in the country.
Thatta recorded more than 10,000 malaria cases in 2023 alone, making it the highest-burden district in Pakistan. Recognizing the urgent need for intervention, AKU, in collaboration with the Government of Pakistan, the Government of Sindh, the Directorate of Malaria Control, and international partners, introduced the TMEP as a comprehensive, data-driven strategy for local and scalable malaria elimination.
“This is not just a health issue—it’s a multidimensional crisis shaped by poverty, post-flood conditions, limited healthcare access, and climate change,” said Prof. M. Asim Beg, Principal Investigator and Project Lead. “Thatta offers a unique landscape to test innovative and holistic malaria control strategies.”
The initiative builds on the foundation of the Malaria Elimination Consortium, established by AKU in 2023 to support the national strategy with strong local engagement and global partnerships. The vision is to transform Thatta into a malaria-free zone and develop a replicable, sustainable model for elimination across Sindh and other endemic regions globally.
The project is supported by renowned international partners, including GLIDE, Zenysis Technologies, and Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, contributing financial, technological, and research resources. The collaboration aims to integrate advanced data tools and global expertise to address persistent malaria transmission in Pakistan.
Dr. Azra Pechuho, Sindh’s Minister for Health and Patron-in-Chief of the project, lauded the initiative, stating, “The Government of Sindh is proud to support this visionary partnership, which has the potential to save lives and uplift vulnerable communities.”
A key component of the Plan is its integration with the global EFFORT clinical trial, conducted in Karachi and Thatta, which tested new, real-world treatment options for malaria. Dr. Salim Virani, Vice Provost for Research at AKU, highlighted the success of Tafenoquine, a promising single-dose treatment that significantly reduced malaria recurrence—offering hope for improved treatment adherence and outcomes in Pakistan.
Aligned with this year’s World Malaria Day theme, “Malaria Ends With Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite,” the TMEP also emphasizes health system strengthening, enhanced diagnostic and surveillance capacity, and increased community ownership in malaria prevention.
By bringing together stakeholders across all levels—from federal to district—and bridging global innovation with local realities, the Thatta Malaria Elimination Plan stands as a model of hope and determination in Pakistan’s fight against malaria.
