After decades of tinkering, the world finally seems to be getting really serious about trying to eliminate one of its gravest diseases. As a coalition of businesses, charities, celebrities and big aid donors starts to act on a new strategy for malaria, scientists this week announced two breakthroughs in understanding the genetics of the parasites that spread it. This could lead to new and urgently needed treatments for a disease that afflicts 500m people a year.rnThe Global Malaria Action Plan, which is backed by the United Nations, wants the world to meet a series of ambitious targets by 2015. These include cutting the number of cases of malaria by 75% from the level in 2000. The plan also aims to reduce the number of deaths caused by the disease to nearly zero over the same period. Eventually, rather ambitiously, it wants the complete eradication of malaria.
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