Rotarians Against Malaria (RAM) - an activity of Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) is a volunteer-run organisation working to eliminated malaria.  In 1900s, malaria was pandemic in the world.  One can only imaging the burden of malaria disease to all countries.
 
Progress has been made.  Fifteen years ago, malaria killed a child every thirty seconds.  Under the Millennium Development Goals, however, considerable progress was made in preventing, diagnosing and treating malaria.  As a result, deaths have fallen by 60 percent.  Now under the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals, we are aiming to reduce malaria cases and deaths by a further 90 percent by 2030.
Rotarians Against Malaria (RAM) - an activity of Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) is a volunteer-run organisation working to eliminated malaria.  In 1900s, malaria was pandemic in the world.  One can only imaging the burden of malaria disease to all countries.
 
Progress has been made.  Fifteen years ago, malaria killed a child every thirty seconds.  Under the Millennium Development Goals, however, considerable progress was made in preventing, diagnosing and treating malaria.  As a result, deaths have fallen by 60 percent.  Now under the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals, we are aiming to reduce malaria cases and deaths by a further 90 percent by 2030.
 
In a further development in this fight, Rotary District 9640 and Griffith University have partnered in the development of and clinical trials for the Malaria Vaccine Project.  It is estimated that there are 219 million cases worldwide and more than 435,000 die every year.  Donations are requested to support this project.  So far Rotary has raised $500,000 and these funds were matched by the Federal Government.
 
PlasProtectT® is a novel malaria vaccine candidate developed at Griffith University by Professor Michael Good.  It consists of whole malaria parasites that are grown in the laboratory under strictly controlled conditions.  The parasites are treated with a chemical so that they can no longer replicate or cause an infection.
 
These treated parasites are then administered as a vaccine to raise an immune response without causing disease.  The body is then primed to fight malaria parasites that may enter the body in the future, preventing malaria infection.
 
The vaccine has been used for pilot clinical studies in human volunteers.  A preliminary study with a small sample of human volunteers has shown that the vaccine is safe and able to induce an immune response.
 
Rotary Partnership
 
The Rotary Clubs of Southport, Broadbeach, Hope Island and the Rotary Satellite Club of Southport-Griffith University have initiated a fundraising project to support the work of Professor Michael Good and his team at the Institute for Glycomics at Griffith University of the Gold Coast.  The fundraising project has been registered by Rotary Australia Benevolent Society (RABS) and endorsed by the National Committee of Rotarians Against Malaria (RAM).
 
In 2017, Rotary and the Institute for Glycomics at Griffith University formally established The Malaria Vaccine Project, which is managed on behalf of the tow partners by a Committee of 14 persons representing the two partnerships in the Project which is charged with raising funds for the research.
 
For online donations: malariavaccineproject.com
 
By cheque payable to:
 
Development of a Malaria Vaccine
PO Box 84, Southport  QLD  4215