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African Summit on Roll Back Malaria (RBM).

25 April 2000, Abuja, Nigeria

The Abuja Declaration on Roll Back Malaria in Africa

by the African Heads of State and Government

COMMIT OURSELVES TO AN INTENSIVE EFFORT TO:

1 Halve the malaria mortality for Africa's people by 2010, through implementing the strategies and actions for Roll Back    Malaria, agreed at the summit.

2 Initiate actions at country level to provide resources to facilitate realization of RBM objectives.

3 Work with our partners in malaria-affected countries towards stated targets, ensuring the allocation of necessary        resources from private and public sectors and from non-governmental organizations.

4 Create an enabling environment in our countries which will permit increased participation of international partners in    our malaria control actions.

CALL UPON:

All member states to undertake health systems reforms which will,

1 Promote community participation in joint ownership and control of Roll Back Malaria actions to enhance their     sustainability.

2 Make diagnosis and treatment of malaria available as far peripherally as possible including home treatment.

3 Make appropriate treatment available and accessible to the poorest groups in the community.

PLEDGE TO:

Take immediate actions to:

1 Implement in our countries the approved plan of Action attached to this Declaration.

2 Develop mechanisms to facilitate the provision of reliable information on malaria to decision-makers at household, community, district and national levels, to enable them take appropriate actions.

3 Reduce or waive taxes and tariffs for mosquito nets and materials, insecticides, antimalarial drugs and other recommended goods and services that are needed for malaria control strategies.

4 Allocate the resources required for sustained implementation of planned Roll Back Malaria actions.

5 Increase support for research (including operational research) to develop new tools and improve existing ones.

6 Commemorate this summit by declaring April 25th each year as Africa Malaria Day.

Key Declarations

 

Malaria control in Southern Africa is shaped by the political commitment to control the disease. In order to provide additional national resources and to shape national policy in favour of malaria control interventions, it is essential that heads of state, health policy makers and other key figures to `buy' into the process and become an advocate of malaria control. Some of the key policy commitments to malaria in Southern Africa include:

African Region Malaria Control Strategy

( Brazzaville _ October 1991)

Committed to support:

· Early diagnosis and prompt treatment of cases

· Anti-vector activities wherever sustainable and cost-effective

· Forecast, early detection, control or prevention of epidemics

. Integration of anti-malarial activities into primary health care

Global Malaria Control Strategy

( Amsterdam October 1992)

Committed to support:

· Early diagnosis and prompt treatment

· To plan and implement selective and sustainable preventive measures,

· To support epidemic control

· To strengthen local capacities in basic and applied research

Harare Declaration on Malaria prevention and Control in the Context of African Economic Recovery and Development.

( Harare _ June 1997)

The assembly of heads of state and government of the Organisation of African Unity committed to:

· Control malaria as an urgent priority

. Support the implementation of global and regional malaria strategies . Implement well planned and coordinated malaria control programmes

. Allocate sufficient human, financial resources and mobilise other local resources

. Mobilise additional external resources from international agencies, governments and non-governmental agencies, foundations, industrial and commercial enterprises

. Support Malaria control through well defined policies and appropriate legislature and its enforcement

. Develop plans, support research, facilitate a multifaceted approach to malaria control

African Initiative for Malaria Control in the 21st Century

( Harare _ May 1998)

Committed to support:

· Africa as the epicentre of the malaria problem and agreed to spearhead the global malaria control       efforts

· Identified malaria as field-needs-based and country-demand driven

· Bottom-up development of malaria control program from community level with support from higher   level

· Sustainable, all-embracing, multi-agency, multi-disciplinary and multinational approach

Global Roll Back Malaria

( Geneva _ June 1998)

Committed to the prevention and control of malaria globally through the:

· Implementation strategies on epidemiological and regional (Africa, Asia etc.) basis

· Technical support in the planning, implementation and evaluation of country programs

· Strategies to reach out, and work in partnership with, other international organisations and sectors of society

· Resource mobilisation where needed,

· Co-ordinated malaria prevent and control efforts of countries and international organisations