Dyna, a 16-year-old farm worker, felt dizzy and had headaches. At the plantation in western Cambodia where she works, Dyna was tested for malaria by a local health worker. Fortunately for Dyna, her test turned out negative and she is expected to get back to work again soon. Much progress in the fight against malaria has been made in recent years through programs that help prevent, diagnose and treat the disease. However, the region still faces huge challenges, with high transmission taking place along borders and in remote forests. Most urgent, the emergence and spread of resistance to the drug artemisinin – the most commonly used drug against malaria – threatens to undo hard-fought gains, not only in the region but worldwide. The Global Fund partnership is backing a smart regional initiative with a US$100 million grant to tackle artemisinin resistance in Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia, with a special focus on mobile populations such as farming communities and seasonal agricultural workers.

The Global Fund / John Rae