LONDON: The fight against malaria is slowing down amid a dramatic drop in efforts to reverse the epidemic, even as health officials insist they will try to meet their idealistic target of eliminating deaths from the parasitic illness by the end of 2015.
Malaria causes symptoms including fever, chills, and vomiting and can kill if not treated early. It mainly strikes children under 5, mostly in Africa.
In 2010, about 145 million bed nets were given out across Africa to protect people against the mosquitoes that spread the killer disease. Last year, that fell to about 66 million. The number of homes in Africa sprayed with pesticides has also stalled, as have attempts to treat pregnant women, one of the high-risk groups.
While the malaria death rate has fallen by a quarter since 2000, officials say further improvements are in jeopardy.
“We must act with urgency and determination to keep this tremendous progress from slipping out of our grasp,” Dr. Margaret Chan, WHO’s director-general, wrote in a report released Monday. WHO blamed falling donations and said the $2.3 billion invested in malaria programs in 2011 was less than half of what was needed.
The agency estimated there were about 219 million malaria cases and 660,000 deaths in 2010. But that was based on data from countries representing just 15 percent of cases worldwide. There was no solid information on countries with the biggest outbreaks, including the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria, which account for about 40 percent of global malaria deaths.
WHO acknowledged there was “a large degree of uncertainty” about its figures.
“There are a lot of blind spots in surveillance,” said Jorgen Stassijns, a malaria adviser at Doctors Without Borders who was not connected to the report. He thought efforts against malaria might be sluggish because of the financial crisis or donors prioritizing other health campaigns.
“In a lot of our work in the field, we don’t see malaria going down,” Stassijns said, citing clinics in Congo, Niger and Sierra Leone.
Some said the stalled progress wasn’t unexpected.
“A disease is always more difficult to control at lower levels,” said Richard Tren, director of the nonprofit Africa Fighting Malaria. He said past initiatives to reduce malaria rebounded after a few years and advised officials to use their funds more wisely. He said a $460 million program led by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria should have been scrapped since there was no proof the initiative — which flooded private markets with malaria drugs — actually worked to reduce cases since there were no controls on who got the medicines. The program, the Affordable Medicines Facility for malaria, was renewed by the Global Fund last month.
Tren doubted that officials would meet the 2015 target of “near-zero” malaria deaths. “I’m not sure it’s measureable or achievable,” he said.
WHO and partners already failed to meet a previous goal of cutting malaria incidence in half by 2010 and past attempts to eliminate malaria have flopped.
“I understand they want to set these targets for political reasons, but they are unrealistic and it undermines their credibility,” Tren said.
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Online: www.who.int/malaria/en
Malaria progress falters, WHO goals found unrealistic
Malaria progress falters, WHO goals found unrealistic
Recipes for Success: Chef Aljawharah Al-Salem offers advice and a cereal bar recipe
DUBAI: At Kimpton KAFD Riyadh, pastry chef and chocolatier Aljawharah Al-Salem is hoping to contribute to a new chapter in Saudi Arabia’s evolving culinary story. One of the Kingdom’s most promising pastry talents, Al-Salem studied at Ecole Ducasse — Ecole Nationale Superieure de Patisserie in France and George Brown College in Toronto.
She has honed her expertise in French pastry and chocolate in kitchens including Le Meurice in Paris, Hotel X Toronto, and Richmond Station. Today, Al-Salem channels that experience into innovative chocolate creations at Kimpton KAFD Riyadh.
“Our menus are designed to celebrate Saudi flavors while presenting them in a modern, refined way,” Al-Salem tells Arab News. “We wanted to create dishes that feel familiar to locals but also surprise international guests. You’ll find traditional ingredients like dates, saffron, cardamom, and local honey, but paired with global techniques and presentations. It’s a balance between heritage and innovation.”
When asked about her favorite dish on the menu, she said: “My favorite is the Saudi Tiramisu. It’s close to my heart because it tells the story of Saudi hospitality on a plate. Every time I prepare it, I feel I’m honoring my roots but also pushing boundaries in how Saudi cuisine can be presented.”
Here, she discusses her love for olive oil and fatty burgers, and shares a recipe for nut and spice cereal bars.
When you started out, what was the most common mistake you made?
Rushing the process. In the beginning, I wanted everything to be perfect and fast, but great food takes patience. Whether it’s proofing dough or tempering chocolate, time is often the secret ingredient.
What’s your top tip for amateur chefs?
Don’t be afraid to experiment. Recipes are guidelines, not rules. Start with fresh ingredients, taste as you go, and enjoy the process rather than worrying about the result — especially if you have tiny hands helping you in the kitchen. Cooking together makes the food taste even better.
What one ingredient can instantly improve any dish?
Good quality olive oil. It adds depth, richness, and balance whether you’re cooking or finishing a dish. For us, in the region, olive oil carries cultural as well as nutritional value.
When you go out to eat, do you find yourself critiquing the food?
It’s impossible not to notice details, but I try to focus on the overall experience rather than just picking faults.
And what’s the most common issue you find in other restaurants?
The most common issue I notice isn’t about flavor; it's about consistency. A dish might be great one day and average the next. Consistency is the true test of a kitchen.
What’s your favorite cuisine or dish to order?
As much as I admire fine cuisine, after a long shift nothing hits the spot like a fatty smash burger. It’s the kind of food that doesn’t require perfection, it just delivers pure comfort, and that’s exactly what a chef craves after hours of precision in the kitchen.
What’s your go-to dish if you have to cook something quickly at home?
If I need a quick meal, I go for a one-pot pasta — sorry, Italians! It’s fast, comforting, and feeds the whole family.
What customer request or behavior most annoys you?
I wouldn’t say it annoys me, but sometimes people come in with a closed mindset — wanting things only the way they know them. I believe part of dining out is trusting the chef and being open to new flavors and experiences. Life is too short to only stick to what you know.
What’s your favorite dish to cook and why?
I love cooking saleeq. It’s comforting, deeply flavorful, and brings people together. In Saudi culture, saleeq is often served at big gatherings, so it also feels symbolic of our hospitality.
What’s the most difficult dish for you to get right?
Pastry is always humbling. It requires absolute precision and patience. You can’t improvise with baking the way you can with savory cooking, so it keeps me sharp.
As a leader, what are you like?
I believe in discipline, but not in shouting. A kitchen should be built on respect and teamwork. I lead by example. If my team sees me as focused, organized and calm, they mirror that energy. At the end of the day, food tastes better when it’s prepared in a positive environment.
Chef Aljawharah’s nut and spice cereal bars
Yield: 10 bars (30 × 40 cm tray, 1 cm thick)
Ingredients
• 180 g Rolled oats, lightly toasted
• 100 g Puffed rice (or puffed wheat)
• 60 g Puffed quinoa (or toasted quinoa)
• 40 g Almonds, roasted & chopped
• 40 g Pistachios, roasted & chopped
• 30 g Pumpkin seeds, toasted
• 30 g Sunflower seeds, toasted
• 30 g Dried cranberries
• 20 g Candied orange peel, finely diced
• 2 g Ground cinnamon
• 1 g Ground cardamom
• 1 g Fine sea salt
Binding syrup:
• 80 g Brown sugar
• 80 g Local Honey (or date Molasses)
• 40 g Water
• 25 g clarified butter
• 10 g Cocoa powder
Finishing:
• 100 g Dark chocolate 64–70%
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Method
1. Toast cereals & seeds: Spread oats, puffed quinoa, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds on a tray. Toast at 150°C for 10–12 min until lightly golden.
2. Prepare syrup: Cook sugar, honey, and water together to 113°C. Off the heat, stir in butter paste and cocoa powder.
3. Combine: In a mixing bowl, combine toasted cereals, puffed rice, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, candied peel, and spices. Pour in the hot syrup and mix well to coat.
4. Mold: Spread mixture evenly into a 30 × 40 cm tray, 1 cm thick lined with silicone mat/parchment. Press firmly to compact.
5. Bake: Bake briefly at 160°C for 6–8 min to stabilize the bar. Cool completely at room temperature.
6. Cut & finish: For home cooks, Cut into 10 bars. Dip bases in melted dark or drizzle across the top then refrigerate to set the chocolate. For professional use, dip in tempered chocolate or place in molds then top it with tempered chocolate. Crystallize at 17°C before unmolding.
