Our research

The COVID-19 pandemic ignited an unprecedented wave of global scientific collaboration between governments, pharmaceutical companies and researchers across the world. It forced research and innovation to accelerate at breakneck speed: we saw vaccines developed and rolled out in record time. Open data sharing and cross-border partnerships became the norm, allowing scientists to track variants at a rapid pace. The pandemic showed that, when the need arises, incredible progress can be made.  

At Malaria Consortium, while the pandemic presented huge challenges to continuing to deliver the life-saving work we do, it also presented a unique opportunity to play a key role in conducting critical research that could inform the pandemic response. And the organisation keenly took up the role: we investigated the interrelationship between malaria and COVID-19 infection and the impact on patient outcomes, explored the effectiveness of integrating digital tools to track infections and symptoms, and conducted extensive research into the prevalence and impact of long COVID-19 in African populations.

This coordinated process of research as response sets a precedent for tackling future global health threats through cooperation, resilience and the pursuit of scientific progress. 

Spotlight: Long COVID and malaria

As the pandemic continued, a new, worrying phenomenon began to present itself. Not everyone who was infected with the virus was recovering.  

The novel condition, dubbed long COVID, is where individuals do not recover for several weeks or months following a case of COVID-19, manifesting in symptoms such as brain fog, fatigue, headache and mental health issues. 
 
At that point, the condition was well known, but little research had been done on long COVID among African populations and in regions where malaria is endemic. There was also little work being completed on the interplay between malaria and long COVID. 

Pioneering research led by Dr Jane Achan, Principal Technical Advisor at Malaria Consortium, involved a case-control study in Ethiopia and Uganda that investigated the prevalence of malaria and long COVID in individuals with a previous COVID-19 infection. The research unveiled a significant burden of long COVID in these regions, although it found no increased prevalence of malaria infection post SARS-CoV-2 infection.  

Since then, Malaria Consortium has been working with health bodies to incorporate these findings into guidelines, to provide better care for affected individuals.