2015
An abbreviated history of innovators in the fight against malaria
In 2015 alone, there have already been many promising innovations in the fight against malaria. From a potential vaccine to mosquito-eating spiders, it’s an exciting time for malaria discovery and development.
Of course, malaria has a long and rich history of out-of-the-box thinkers. Not only did Albert Freeman Africanus King witness Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, his main claim to fame was as one of the earliest people to suggest a link between the disease and mosquitoes. Though his proposed solution—encase Washington DC in wire mesh—was a bit too ambitious, he was far ahead of his time.
Countless women and men have applied themselves to trying to “solve” the problem of malaria. There are many innovations represented in the Malaria Heroes: Innovator category, including crowdsourcing malaria diagnoses through online gaming, sniffing out counterfeit drugs, and applying open source principles to the fight to defeat malaria. Make sure you check out the nominee using social media and blogs to highlight innovations, and the doctor using TV, community outreach, and an innovative call center in Ghana to win the war against mosquitoes.
We know the five nominees represent a fraction of the innovators out there. With only three continents and one gender represented, we want more! Take a few minutes to add your voice to this essential category, and connect with other innovators through the Social Media Awards.
