**Author details**

**9. Conclusions**

26 Towards Malaria Elimination - A Leap Forward

**Acknowledgements**

the Wellcome Trust.

**List of acronyms**

Artemisinin resistance in *P. falciparum* has emerged 10 years ago in SEA and spread in the entire GMS. Parasite populations resistant to all ACTs are now circulating in Cambodia, triggering a resurgence of the disease. Current gains in malaria control/elimination program are heavily relying upon the efficacy of ACTs. The emergence of artemisinin and partner drug resistance is a serious threat to the global prospect of malaria elimination. The recent decline in the number of clinical cases in the region is encouraging but by no means a victory. Current resurgence of malaria in Cambodia and the existence of large reservoirs of sub-microscopic infections must be seen as warnings that malaria could make a devastating comeback. Efforts must continue and accelerate to eliminate the parasite and this will only be possible with stronger political will and sustained financial support. The three main programmatic components are EDT, elimination of the reservoirs and adapted vector control measures. The few antimalarials in the development pipeline are promising, though these compounds will not be ready on time to replace the ACTs [120]. The spread of the ACT-resistant malaria has so far outpaced the malaria containment measures and time is running out. There are not many

We acknowledge the insightful suggestions of two editors from InTech Open Access. The Shoklo Malaria Research Unit and Myanmar Oxford Clinical Research Unit are part of the Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit-Tropical health network funded by

options but to accelerate the current malaria elimination efforts.

ACT artemisinin combination therapy

ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations

AL artemether-lumefantrine

CHQ chloroquine

CNV (gene) copy number variation

DDT dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane DP dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine

EDT early diagnosis and treatment

GMS Greater Mekong Subregion K-13 Kelch 13 gene of *P. falciparum* Aung Pyae Phyo1,2\* and François Nosten1,3

\*Address all correspondence to: aungpyaephyo@shoklo-unit.com

1 Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand

2 Myanmar Oxford Clinical Research Unit, Yangon, Myanmar

3 Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
