National Malaria Day丨From 30 million cases to 0 cases, what did it take?

April 26th is the 15th National Malaria Day.

Speaking of malaria, many people will think of artemisinin and Tu Youyou.

This scientist, who decided to study medicine in his 20s and devoted himself to the research of artemisinin at the age of 39, has been doing scientific research in the laboratory all his life and has saved the lives of millions of malaria patients.

Last year, the TV series "Meritorious Service" was a hit. One of the segments, "Tu Youyou's Gift", told the story of her and her colleagues researching anti-malarial drugs.

Before filming began, Tu Youyou repeatedly told the director: "Don't say this is my own achievement."

As she said after winning the Nobel Prize: "This is not only my personal honor, but also the recognition of the Chinese scientific community by the international community."

Tu Youyou at work (photo taken from archives). Xinhua News Agency

Malaria, commonly known as "shaking", is a mosquito-borne infectious disease caused by Plasmodium parasites infected by mosquito bites. Severe cases can lead to death.

In the early 1960s and early 1970s, my country experienced two large-scale malaria outbreaks. The peak occurred in 1970, when the number of malaria cases nationwide exceeded 24 million.

The development of drugs to fight malaria was urgent, but the scientific research conditions at the time were very difficult.

In order to breed mosquitoes for experiments, researchers have to use their hands to let the mosquitoes suck for a long time in a small and stuffy breeding room.

There was a shortage of experimental equipment for studying malaria, so researchers had to borrow equipment from other units. In order not to disturb their colleagues' work during the day, they had to work overtime at night.

In order to find a cure for malaria as soon as possible, researchers test drugs on themselves. They inject blood from malaria patients into their own bodies and experience the changes in the disease through personal experiments. Every time they test drugs, they "escape death".

In order to prevent and control malaria, scientific researchers "compete" with mosquitoes. They are familiar with everything from the identification and classification of mosquito species and the prevention and control of mosquito-borne infectious diseases to the parts of mosquito specimens that are invisible to the naked eye.

In 1972, Chinese researchers successfully extracted artemisinin and developed it into a drug to treat malaria.

Dong Xueshu took his equipment to collect mosquito specimens.

Image source: Yunnan Provincial Institute of Parasitic Diseases

In the 70 years of fighting against malaria, the number of malaria cases has dropped from 30 million to zero, and Chinese scientists have made great contributions.

(Photo source: Xinhuanet)

On the cover of this book, "Malaria Research: Selected Achievements from 1967 to 1980", there is a shining medal printed on it, and the background image under the medal is a line-drawing of the molecular structure.

Many years have passed, and this cover, which is not gorgeous in design, has inspired us who are now fighting against the new coronavirus.

By making good use of science, the most powerful weapon, we will eventually defeat the epidemic.

(Copyrighted image from the gallery, no permission to reprint)

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Comprehensive sources: Xinhuanet, CCTV News, Healthy China, etc.