Artemisinin partial resistance is spreading across Africa, raising concerns about the continued effectiveness of malaria treatments and the implications for malaria control. To present data on the current state of antimalarial drug resistance in Africa and discuss the strategies needed to limit it, MARC SE-Africa and the International Society for Neglected Tropical Diseases (ISNTD) are holding a webinar during World AMR Awareness Week:
Webinar: Antimalarial Drug Resistance in Africa: Where Are We and What Comes Next?
Date: 24 November, 3 PM Central European Time (CET)/4 PM Central Africa Time (CAT)
This webinar brings together leading researchers to examine the latest evidence on antimalarial drug resistance, explore its geographical spread and clinical consequences, and discuss strategies to preserve the effectiveness of malaria treatment:
Dr Stephanie van Wyk | Artemisinin partial resistance: An early warning sign
Drawing on an individual-patient data meta-analysis of more than 16,800 patients across 33 countries, Dr van Wyk will present findings on how Kelch13 resistance-associated mutations affect parasite clearance following treatment. Her presentation will explore why the clinical signs of resistance differ across malaria transmission settings and how existing surveillance thresholds may need to be adapted to improve early detection in Africa.
Dr Lucinda Harrison | Mapping the changing landscape of artemisinin partial resistance in Africa
Dr Harrison will present new statistical modelling approaches that combine molecular surveillance data to map the emergence and spread of resistance-associated mutations across sub-Saharan Africa. Her research estimates that in 2026, Kelch13 resistance markers will exceed 10% prevalence in 23% of malaria-endemic areas, demonstrating how modelling can help identify emerging threats and guide surveillance where data are limited.
Dr Jonathan Gwasupika | How effective are our current malaria treatments?
Jonathan Gwasupika will compare the efficacy of currently available artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) in the context of emerging resistance in sub-Saharan Africa. His presentation will consider evidence on alternative efficacy outcomes for the most widely used ACTs, and implications for ACT selection given the current push for diversifying ACTs and MFT strategies.
Prof Roly Gosling | Diversifying malaria treatments: Why action is needed now
Prof Gosling will explore the importance of diversifying ACT treatment options to reduce reliance on individual drug combinations and protect their long-term effectiveness. His presentation will consider why treatment diversification is a priority across malaria-endemic regions, with particular urgency in areas where artemisinin partial resistance and/or unacceptable ACT failure rates are already established.
Together, these presentations connect emerging resistance markers with their clinical consequences, geographical spread and implications for malaria treatment, providing a foundation for more informed surveillance, treatment policies and future malaria-control strategies across Africa.
