Palestine 100 years ago seen through the malaria lens: an examination of successful malaria elimination, and of where the malaria community seems to have taken a wrong turning

TL;DR

This paper examines a successful malaria elimination campaign from over 100 years ago in Palestine to highlight lessons for modern anti-malaria efforts.

Contribution

The paper highlights a historical case of successful malaria elimination to critique current strategies.

Findings

A successful national malaria elimination campaign began over 100 years ago in Palestine.

Current anti-malaria campaigns may be ineffective due to a wrong turning in strategy.

Historical research reveals insights that could inform modern malaria control efforts.

Abstract

It is acknowledged there exists a trend pointing to a general failure to reduce the global incidence of malaria, and the world watches anxiously in the knowledge resistance to insecticides and drugs has been developing and will intensify. Anton Alexander attempts to remind the malaria community of a successful malaria elimination that began over one hundred years ago, and by examination of that malaria elimination, explain why current anti-malaria campaigns may be considered ineffective. Alexander has conducted historical research into the first start anywhere of a successful national malaria elimination campaign over 100 years ago, and in respect to which his research papers have been published by the MalariaWorld Journal, American Entomologist and Oxford University Press.

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