30.05.2008 - Article
The fight against malaria: Accolade for SDC partner institute in Tanzania

The Tanzania-based Ifakara Health Research and Development Centre has been awarded the Prince of Asturias Prize for its contribution to combating malaria. Since 1997, the SDC has supported the IHRDC to the tune of four million Swiss francs.

Malaria is a threat to about 40% of the world’s population, and the situation is particularly dire in sub-Saharan Africa where two children die of malaria every minute. So combating the disease has top priority. For many years, the Ifakara Health Centre in Tanzania has been making crucial research contributions to fighting malaria – work that has now been honoured by the Prince of Asturias Prize announced by the Prince of Asturias Foundation on 28 May 2008 in Oviedo.

Vaccines and training researchers
The Prize was shared with the Malaria Research and Training Centre in Mali, the Kintampo Health Research Centre in Ghana and Mozambique’s Manhica Health Research Centre. The jury paid tribute to the role played by these four institutes in developing malaria vaccines and training young researchers, thus making a vital contribution to improving health in Africa.

Since 1997, the SDC has donated a total of four million Swiss francs to the Ifakara Centre, and its project contribution is implemented by the Swiss Tropical Institute. This cooperation dates back about fifty years, and Switzerland has helped to make Ifakara a first-class, internationally recognized research institute whose findings benefit the rural poor first and foremost. The institute has also chalked up successes in the field of preventive treatment where its efforts have halved the risk of children contracting malaria.

Contact for further information:
Thomas Jenatsch
SDC Media Spokesman
031 325 91 26