Research on Malaria Prevention, Detection, and Control

Note: This document is an unofficial and translated summary of the official notice issued by the Ministry of Health. For complete information, refer to the complete notice in Portuguese

The National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), the Ministry of Health (MS), through the Department of Science and Technology of the Secretariat of Science, Technology and Strategic Inputs (Decit/SCTIE) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation make this Call for Proposals public and invite interested parties to submit proposals under the terms set forth herein.

1. Scope

To support research projects that bring significant contribution to the scientific and technological development and innovation of the country, in the areas of prevention, detection and fight against malaria.

1.1 This Call for Proposals has the following goals: To support the development of scientific and technological research (about prevention, detection and fight against malaria in Brazil) that can effectively contribute to the advancement in knowledge, training of human resources, creation of products and improvement of health surveillance programs, control, elimination and prevention of this neglected disease, so as to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, in line with elimination program established by the World Health Organization, with the purpose of improving the health conditions of Brazilian population.

1.2 Projects should be classified according to the following Themes or Lines of Research:

1.2.1 Treatment:

1.2.1.1 Evaluation of adherence to malaria treatment in Brazil and compliance with the therapeutic regimens recommended by the Ministry of Health.

1.2.1.2 Goal: To support studies that assess strategies to encourage the adherence to treatment in patients with malaria, as well as studies that help assess the effectiveness of therapeutic regimens recommended by the Ministry of Health, so as to promote the improvement of current protocols.

1.2.2. Diagnosis and Epidemiology:

1.2.2.1 Strategies to improve surveillance of malaria cases in the Amazon, in order to better understand the outbreaks of infection and the impact of migration patterns.

1.2.2.1.1 Goal: To support studies that propose new approaches to malaria control and registration in the states that make up the Amazon region; new strategies for the early identification of outbreaks in the region; and studies to assess outcomes related to migration flows in this region.

1.2.2.2 Development of new diagnostic methods and surveillance approaches for P. vivax in patients with low parasitemia, including the detection of latent and sub-clinical infection in humans.

1.2.2.2.1 Goal: To support studies that develop more sensitive methodologies and strategies to detect low parasitemia, aiming to improve surveillance of latent or low parasitemia cases.

1.2.2.3 Development of tests that detect hypnozoites and relapse biomarkers.

1.2.2.3.1 Goal: To support the development of efficient methodological proposals for the detection of hypnozoites and the prediction of malaria relapse.

1.2.2.4 Development and validation of malaria diagnostic technologies in remote areas, in locations which are difficult to access or without electricity.

1.2.2.4.1 Goal: To support the development and improvement of malaria diagnostic strategies in vulnerable populations living in areas without adequate infrastructure or poor health care coverage.

1.2.2.5 Evaluation of sensitivity, specificity and cost-effectiveness of new diagnostic methods compared to microscopy.

1.2.2.5.1 Goal: To support studies that evaluate whether new diagnostic methods for malaria are more sensitive, specific and economically viable than the P. vivax microscopic detection method.

1.2.3 Vector Biology and Control:

1.2.3.1 Studies in vector biology, including vector pathogen interactions, vector ecology and its geographical distribution.

1.2.3.1.1 Goal: To support studies that increase knowledge about the vector, including its biology, interaction with the plasmodium and relationship with the environment, with the purpose of preventing transmission.

1.2.3.2 New tools for vector control and management of insecticide resistance.

1.2.3.2.1 Goal: To support studies that develop more effective tools for vector control and for overcoming of insecticide resistance.

1.2.3.3 Studies on minimal parasitic burden for the infection of anophelines and malaria transmission to humans.

1.2.3.3.1 Goal: To support studies that evaluate and determine the lowest parasite burden required in the vector and in humans, to maintain malaria endemicity.

1.2.3.4 Evaluation of impact and costs associated with strategies and use of insecticides to control malaria vectors.

1.2.3.4.1 Goal: To support studies that measure the economic, environmental and health impact of strategies adopted by health professionals in the control of anopheles mosquitoes.

1.2.4 Economic Impact Assessment of Social Technologies:

1.2.4.1 Economic impact assessment of uncomplicated and severe malaria cases in areas with and without transmission of the disease in Brazil.

1.2.4.1.1 Goal: To support the development of studies that provide an understanding of the economic impact of malaria in endemic (with transmission) and non-endemic (without transmission) areas of Brazil and the development of more accurate tools for this assessment.

1.2.4.2 Assessment of public perception of malaria and their acceptance / satisfaction with the control strategies implemented in Brazil.

1.2.4.2.1 Goal: To support the development of studies on the failures / successes of malaria control measures implemented by the health manager, by assessing popular perception, and proposing more effective alternatives to improve surveillance and health care services.

1.2.5 For all lines of this Call for Proposals, projects are expected to propose solutions that:

1. Are audacious and clearly different from standard practice;
2. Are practical, affordable and scalable;
3. Provide ensured access to vulnerable populations;
4. Can cause significant and sustainable impact;
5. Can be monitored, measured and evaluated.

1.2.6 The following shall not be accepted:

6. Basic research not directly related to malaria prevention and control;
7. Studies proposing solutions that apply only a small number of individuals at risk of being infected with malaria;
8. Projects that are not scalable by their very nature or because they apply only to a small subgroup of the population;
9. Projects without adequate assessment measures of success or failure that will support decisions on funding continuation;
10. Studies proposing solutions that represent only limited advances of existing approaches;
11. Studies that propose a repetition of an approach in a new geographical location, without adding innovation.

1.2.7 Proposals for literature review or systematic studies shall not be funded.