Prof. Dr. Manuel Hetzel

Prof. Manuel Hetzel is an infectious disease epidemiologist, Research Group Leader and Head of the Health Interventions Unit at the Swiss TPH, and adjunct Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Basel. His main areas of expertise are epidemiological field studies, multidisciplinary implementation research, and impact evaluations, with a focus on malaria.

Dr. Hetzel’s current work includes investigating and improving the effectiveness of malaria control measures, such as vector control, case management, and targeted surveillance-response strategies, implemented in different health systems settings. He recently co-led an assessment of the effectiveness of rectal artesunate as pre-referral treatment of severe malaria in children in rural DR Congo, Nigeria and Uganda and conducted studies on the effectiveness of malaria reactive case detection in Zanzibar (Tanzania). Since 2008, he has been supporting the National Malaria Control Programme in Papua New Guinea with research and capacity strengthening activities.

Dr. Hetzel holds an MSc in biology and a PhD in epidemiology from the University of Basel after studies in Switzerland and Brazil. He held previous appointments at the Ifakara Health Institute (Tanzania), the PNG Institute of Medical Research (Papua New Guinea), the University of Queensland (Australia), and the University of Cape Town (South Africa).

Golumbeanu M, Edi C.A.V, Hetzel M.W, Koepfli C, Nsanzabana C. Bridging the gap from molecular surveillance to programmatic decisions for malaria control and elimination. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2025;112(1 Suppl.):35-47. DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.22-0749

Minconetti V, Champagne C, Muri M, Are C, Goi P, Ura Y, Kualawi M, Timbi D, Giduthuri J, Oo M.M, Makita L, Seidahmed O, Ross A, Pomat W, Hetzel M.W. Health system effectiveness of symptomatic malaria case management in Papua New Guinea. BMJ Glob Health. 2025;10(3):e016825. DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2024-016825

Awor P, Coppée R, Khim N, Rondepierre L, Roesch C, Khean C, Kul C, Eam R, Lorn T, Athieno P, Kimera J, Balikagala B, Odongo-Aginya E.I, Anywar D.A, Mita T, Clain J, Ringwald P, Signorell A, Lengeler C, Burri C, Ariey F, Hetzel M.W, Witkowski B. Indigenous emergence and spread of kelch13 C469Y artemisinin-resistant Plasmodium falciparum in Uganda. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2024;68(8):e0165923. DOI: 10.1128/aac.01659-23

Das A.M, Hetzel M.W, Yukich J.O, Stuck L, Fakih B.S, Al-mafazy A.H, Ali A, Chitnis N. Modelling the impact of interventions on imported, introduced and indigenous malaria infections in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Nat Commun. 2023;14:2750. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38379-8

Fakih B.S, Holzschuh A, Ross A, Stuck L, Abdul R, Al-mafazy A.H, Irema I, Mbena A, Thawer S.G, Shija S.J, Aliy S.M, Ali A, Fink G, Yukich J, Hetzel M.W. Risk of imported malaria infections in Zanzibar: a cross-sectional study. Infect Dis Poverty. 2023;12:80. DOI: 10.1186/s40249-023-01129-5

Hetzel M.W, Awor P, Tshefu A, Omoluabi E, Burri C, Signorell A, Lambiris M.J, Visser T, Cohen J.M, Buj V, Lengeler C. Pre-referral rectal artesunate: no cure for unhealthy systems. Lancet Infect Dis. 2023;23(6):e213-e217. DOI: 10.1016/S1473-3099(22)00762-9

Lambiris M.J, Venga G.N, Ssempala R, Balogun V, Galactionova K, Musiitwa M, Kagwire F, Olosunde O, Emedo E, Luketa S, Sangare M, Buj V, Delvento G, Tshefu A, Okitawutshu J, Omoluabi E, Awor P, Signorell A, Hetzel M.W, Lee T.T, Brunner N.C, Cereghetti N, Visser T, Napier H.G, Burri C, Lengeler C. Health system readiness and the implementation of rectal artesunate for severe malaria in sub-Saharan Africa: an analysis of real-world costs and constraints. Lancet Glob Health. 2023;11(2):e256-e264. DOI: 10.1016/S2214-109X(22)00507-1

Cleary E, Hetzel M.W, Clements A.C.A. A review of malaria epidemiology and control in Papua New Guinea 1900 to 2021: progress made and future directions. Front Epidemiol. 2022;2:980795. DOI: 10.3389/fepid.2022.980795

Hetzel M.W, Okitawutshu J, Tshefu A, Omoluabi E, Awor P, Signorell A, Brunner N.C, Kalenga J.C, Akano B.K, Ayodeji K, Okon C, Yusuf O, Athieno P, Kimera J, Tumukunde G, Angiro I, Delvento G, Lee T.T, Lambiris M.J, Kwiatkowski M, Cereghetti N, Visser T, Napier H.G, Cohen J.M, Buj V, Burri C, Lengeler C. Effectiveness of rectal artesunate as pre-referral treatment for severe malaria in children under 5 years of age: a multi-country observational study. BMC Med. 2022;20:343. DOI: 10.1186/s12916-022-02541-8

Seidahmed O, Jamea S, Kurumop S, Timbi D, Makita L, Ahmed M, Freeman T, Pomat W, Hetzel M.W. Stratification of malaria incidence in Papua New Guinea (2011–2019): contribution towards a sub-national control policy. PLOS Glob Public Health. 2022;2(11):e0000747. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000747

Brunner N.C, Awor P, Hetzel M.W. Definitions of severity in treatment seeking studies of febrile illness in children in low and middle income countries: a scoping review. Int J Public Health. 2021;66:634000. DOI: 10.3389/ijph.2021.634000

Rodríguez-Rodríguez D, Katusele M, Auwun A, Marem M, Robinson L.J, Laman M, Hetzel M.W, Pulford J. Human behavior, livelihood, and malaria transmission in two sites of Papua New Guinea. J Infect Dis. 2021;223(Suppl. 2):S171-S186. DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiaa402

Stuck L, Fakih B.S, Al-mafazy A.H, Hofmann N.E, Holzschuh A, Grossenbacher B, Bennett A, Cotter C, Reaves E, Ali A, Van der Horst T, Felger I, Hetzel M.W, Yukich J. Malaria infection prevalence and sensitivity of reactive case detection in Zanzibar. Int J Infect Dis. 2020;97:337-346. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2020.06.017