Dutch Malaria Foundation supports Open Access

[Tom Olijhoek]

The Dutch Malaria Foundation was founded in 2010. We are committed to a world without malaria. We want to achieve this by combining integrated, responsible pest control with innovative applied research, education and information. We see a need to fight malaria.on two fronts, not only the protection of people but also the control of the mosquito that carries the parasite. With a combination of vector control, education and innovative research, it will be possible to effectively fight malaria. After all  this is the way that the disease has been eradicated in Europe, America and other affluent parts of the world..

Education and innovative research are dependent on sharing of information. Participation of scientists from developing countries is essential in the fight against malaria. And Open Access to information is essential for many scientists in the developing world to be able to participate fully in the global scientific community. We therefore are strong supporters of the Open Access publishing system.

In order to make the scientific literature better accessible for scientists in the developing world we run the website MalariaWorld that provides weekly updates on the malaria literature. Weblinks provide easy access to malaria research papers. We collaborate with Elsevier to promote open access. The site also serves as a social network for currently >6,500 users working in the field of malaria, and offers possibilities for blogging and forum discussions.

We are developing an Open Access 2.0 malaria journal, where next to free reading also publication of articles will be free of charge. In our view this offers the best opportunities for scientists in developing countries to not only read but also be read.