§ Viscount Brentfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
(a) How many people die from malaria throughout the world each year;
(b) How much money is spent firstly by Her Majesty's Government and secondly throughout the world on research into malaria; and
(c) When they anticipate that a vaccine will be produced and what financial provision they will make for its distribution to developing countries.[H L4124]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathThe World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that malaria kills over 1 million people a year, the majority of deaths being in countries in tropical Africa. The Medical Research Council, through which the Government support research into the causes and treatment of disease, spent £4 million in 1998/99 on research into malaria. In addition, in the calendar year 1999 the Government, through the Department for International20WA Development, contributed £11 million to programmes either directly involved in malaria research or with strong malaria research components, both through United Kingdom research institutions and WHO. Details of the amounts spent by other countries are not known.
Several malaria vaccines are under development. There have been some encouraging reports. However these results have yet to be replicated elsewhere. The WHO estimates that a usable vaccine is not on the 10-year horizon. Once one exists, it envisages malaria vaccine being included as part of established immunisation progammes to keep costs to a minimum.