A group of African leaders has launched a new initiative to defeat malaria, which, it says, “represents one of the biggest health and economic challenges to the continent.”

The African Leaders’ Malaria Alliance (www.alma2015.org) was inaugurated on 23 September at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. It brings together 20 of the continent’s heads of state and governments to launch a “coordinated and effective response to malaria.”

The alliance intends to provide “a high level forum to ensure efficient procurement, distribution, and utilisation of malaria control interventions.” It also aims to “facilitate the sharing of effective malaria control practices and ensure that malaria remains high on the global policy agenda.”

As a major killer …