Lessons learned from malaria: Italy's past and sub-Sahara's future

No longer a major public health concern in developed countries, malaria kills 1-3 million people annually, mostly children under the age of five in sub-Saharan Africa. In 1998, the WHO launched the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) drive to halve malaria mortality by 2010. This article contrasts the problems confronting RBM with the successful Italian drive to eradicate malaria between the late 19th and mid 20th centuries. The Italians employed education and applied socio-political will; however, ecological and socio-economic conditions in sub-Saharan Africa are more hospitable to the disease. RBM strategies should consider the Italian experience while awaiting a major scientific breakthrough necessary to achieve success.