India Hosts Global Leaders in Malaria to
Chart the Path to a Malaria-Free Future
Global Experts Convene in New Delhi to Accelerate Malaria Elimination
New Delhi | 9 March 2026
Leading global scientists, policymakers, and public health experts gathered in the national capital for the International Malaria Conference 2026, hosted by the ICMR – National Institute of Malaria Research with the support of the CARAH Women Foundation. Held from 7–9 March 2026 in New Delhi, the conference brought together nearly 200 participants, including eminent experts from national and international organizations, research institutions, government bodies, and development partners
The conference was organized under the theme “Discovery, Development and Delivery: Driving Malaria Elimination and Beyond.” It served as a global platform to discuss innovative research, new tools, and strategic approaches required to accelerate progress towards malaria elimination.
The conference commenced with a welcome address by Anup Anvikar, Director of the ICMR – National Institute of Malaria Research, who highlighted the importance of scientific innovation and collaborative partnerships in advancing malaria elimination efforts. The opening keynote address was delivered by Philip Welkhoff, Director of Malaria at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, who spoke on “How to Eliminate Malaria Globally.”
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This was followed by a presentation on India’s efforts toward malaria elimination by P. J. Bhuyan, Additional Director at the National Centre for Vector Borne Disease Control, who outlined the country’s progress, key challenges, and strategic priorities on the path to achieving malaria elimination. Another keynote lecture titled “From Burden to Elimination and Beyond: Architecting an Integrated Discovery–Development–Delivery Ecosystem for a Malaria-Free South-East Asia” was delivered by Suman Rijal, Director of Communicable Diseases at the World Health Organization South-East Asia Regional Office.
Over three days, internationally renowned experts shared cutting-edge research and innovations in malaria science and control, with distinguished speakers including Dr. Matthias Marti (University of Glasgow and University of Zurich), Dr. Silvia Portugal (Max Planck Institute, Berlin), Dr. Cristian Koepfli and Dr. Neil Lobo (University of Notre Dame, USA), Dr. Jetsumon Prachumsri (Mahidol University, Bangkok), Dr. Miles Markus (University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa), along with leading researchers from premier institutions in India and abroad, reflecting the truly global collaboration in the fight against malaria. Sarawak, Malaysia).
The conference featured scientific sessions on parasite biology, diagnostics, vaccine development, surveillance innovations, and operational research, highlighting the importance of translating scientific discoveries into practical public health interventions. Experts emphasized that integrating research, innovation, and strong public health systems and partnership is essential to achieve malaria elimination targets.
A special panel discussion titled “From Lab to Last Mile: Delivering Malaria Elimination through Gender, Climate and Community Systems” was convened by the CARAH Women Foundation. During the session, Dr. Roopa, Founder and CMD of CARAH Women Foundation, presented the vision and objectives of the foundation. She highlighted that with a multidisciplinary team and international expertise, the foundation aims to complement government efforts in malaria elimination and the control of other vector-borne diseases in the country.
The panellists emphasized the critical role of women’s leadership, community engagement, and climate-responsive approaches in strengthening malaria control programmes and ensuring effective last-mile delivery of interventions.
The conference concluded with a strong call for greater global collaboration, sustained research investment, innovation and community-driven action to accelerate progress toward a malaria-free future.
