Posted by Jesse Thomas on Oct 09, 2019
Malaria kills approximately half a million people every year, with 432,000 dead in 2017 according to the most recent data, and most of those deaths are children in the most vulnerable areas. Philip Welkhoff, Director of the Malaria Program at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, spoke to Seattle 4 Rotarians about the progress that has been made in the fight against malaria, the reasons for hope in the road ahead, and that urgent action is needed.
 
Welkhoff, who was accompanied at lunch by his wife, Martina, was introduced to Rotary at a young age. Speaking of Rotary as a force for good, Welkhoff told the story of growing up on the north coast of Haiti, where the water systems that they drank from were installed by Rotarians. Before joining the Gates Foundation, Welkhoff was the Director of Research at the Institute for Disease Modeling, where he helped develop computer simulations of malaria, polio and other disease transmissions to assist health professionals and scientists in working toward the eradication of these diseases. Welkhoff has his PhD in Computational and Applied Mathematics from Princeton and joined the Gates Foundation in March 2018.
 
Malaria is the greatest killer of mankind, and “malaria eradication remains our North Star,” said Welkhoff, speaking of the Gates Foundation’s work in investing $3 billion in this effort to date. Malaria can be devastating and kill quickly as it can strike the most vulnerable populations amid periods of unrest, according to Welkhoff, citing the Ebola outbreak in West Africa and Venezuela as examples. And when it doesn’t kill, malaria weakens the body and immune system, leaving individuals more susceptible to other types of disease and illness. Welkhoff added that malaria is both a key indicator and driver of inequality in the world, where those vulnerable may not have easy access to health care, or bed nets that are so vital in the fight against mosquitoes that transmit the disease.
 
After early progress in the fight in the mid-1900s, he shared the history of a resurgence of the disease in the 1980s and 1990s as the parasite became resistant to the drugs being used at the time. This led to an increase in deaths to approximately one million per year in 2003. An increase in funding and support from across the international community dropped the deaths down to the 432,000 per year, as of 2017, the most recent available data. While that marks success, and many lives have been saved in this effort, global funding has been flat since 2011, making this a “critical moment in the fight” against malaria.
 
Amid these challenges, progress is happening and there are reasons for hope, Welkhoff said. Specifically, there are now better data and surveillance systems for tracking the disease to assist in the fight, the bed nets are improved, and as of last year, there is now a cure for the type of malaria that can linger in the liver and create ongoing problems. Welkhoff’s call to action noted the need for more, innovative partnerships, citing Rotarian Malaria Partners as a success, and sustained innovation in the fight. While malaria is complex, it is a preventable, treatable and curable disease.
 
Getting to zero is the goal, Welkhoff said, and shared that much can be learned from the success in nearly eradicating polio, where Rotary has had such an impact worldwide. Polio offers a blueprint for success, Welkhoff said, talking about the disciplined and sustained effort, and the need to address the most hard-hit countries first, citing Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Importantly, during his speech, Welkhoff honored the legacy of Rotarian Steve Crane, saying Crane, a champion of polio and malaria eradication, was the reason he was speaking with us on Wednesday and that Crane is missed.

To start the meeting, both Seattle 4 President Kim Moore, and Tom Mesaros, in his inspiration, honored that Wednesday marked Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, and the holiest day of the year in Judaism, marked by fasting and intensive prayer. We were led in song by David Woodward and President Kim with Freeman Fong on piano, as we sang We are the World.  We also recorded a brief video to wish a happy centennial to the Rotary Club of Shanghai, which is celebrating 100 years next week.
 
Before our long program, President Kim took a few moments to sit on the stage to tell a story in honoring longtime Rotarians Rex Clark and Dick Vadnais. The friends have a combined 80 years of Rotary service between them, and for the past 13 years, they’re out front of every luncheon to welcome visiting Rotarians. Telling the story of how they each came to Seattle, and came to find Rotary, President Kim thanked them for their commitment to Rotary, and they received a long, standing ovation from the room.
 
For pictures from the program, please see our Facebook page featured in this week's newsletter.  
Thank you Totem Reporter Jesse Thomas.
Media Sponsors