Promoting operational research on insecticide-treated netting: a joint TDR/IDRC initiative and call for research proposals.

The evidence in favour of insecticide-treated nets for reducing mortality from malaria among Africa children is becoming compelling. In order to support the next step in the development of this promising intervention the UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) decided to launch a joint initiative on operational research. In the first step, 3 reviews on the essential aspects of net technology, programme implementation and programme promotion were commissioned and will be published soon as a book. Secondly, expert opinion was sought regarding priority topics for research. Finally, a first round of research projects was funded and a call for more proposals is being widely advertised.