Malaria Control at the Cross Roads: Time for Action and Delivery

Southern African countries are ready and prepared to scale up the fight against malaria using the multi-million dollar investment by countries, partners and the Global Fund against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Countries within the context of the new partnership for Africa (NEPAD) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) will be conducting a joint consultative meeting as from the 20th – 26th July, 2003 in Lusaka, Zambia. Participants to the meeting will come from the Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland, Mozambique, Angola, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. 

Representatives from UNICEF, Global Fund, SADC Military Health Desk, Malaria research institutions, Population Services international (PSI) and SADC Military Health will also participate in the meeting. 

The World Health Organization is coordinating the organization of the Malaria Conference in close consultation with countries. This 5th annual malaria control implementation and delivery meeting will review the annual progress and challenges, will share best practices and research and continue to support the SADC region to massively scale up malaria control activities in the 2003 -2004 malaria season.

The aim of the conference will be to review progress in efforts to scale up the implementation and delivery of malaria control interventions in the Southern Africa. 

The objectives of the meeting are: 

	To review country progress in the implementation of the 2002-2003 annual malaria control interventions towards achieving the Abuja targets.
	To update the status, identify needs for fast tracking the implementation of the Global Fund for AIDS, TB, and Malaria (GFATM).
	To finalize the country annual malaria plans in accelerating the implementation of malaria interventions.
	To formulate and share country annual malaria calendars of activities within the region.

Roll Back Malaria in Southern Africa and in Africa was launched in 2002. The RBM movement in Southern Africa (2003) has delivered the initial massive financial investment required for scaling up to achieve the Abuja targets set for 2010. This increased financial investment allows the required supplementary and complimentary financing. The focus is now on building capacity and increasing human resources and their retention; building institutions and infrastructure and procurement of required malaria commodities. The implementation and delivery phase still requires clear prioritization of malaria control interventions and stepwise incremental focus on delivery in target districts.

Some of the key strategic areas to be highlighted and addressed at the meeting will include the following: 

	Keeping the momentum of malaria in the region and at the same time reviewing progress made so far in the implementation of malaria interventions within the region
	Increasing political, policy, professional and private sector support for scaling up the delivery of malaria control interventions.
	Promoting and building the capacity and partnership of RBM partners in rolling back malaria.
	Scaling up malaria control interventions through high level advocacy ,social mobilization interventions through the Africa Malaria Day campaign strategies and other IEC Interventions
	Reviewing progress and status in the Global Fund implementation.
	Reviewing strategies for mass campaigns for the promotion of insecticides treated mosquito nets.
	Effective case management through increased coverage and access to effective anti- malaria drugs.

Experience to date is showing that countries within the sub region are making good progress in malaria programming. However a lot of challenges that require innovative approaches in maintaining the momentum and implementation of malaria interventions in rolling back malaria exist in Southern Africa and include: 

	Move from strategic and annual planning and partnerships to tactical and operational malaria control delivery and coordination to ensure massive malaria program delivery.
	Maintain timely delivery of annual seasonal malaria control interventions to ensure incremental increases of coverage of information such as access to drugs, mosquito nets and house spray.
	Monitor access, coverage and quality to malaria control interventions and evaluation of progress towards the SADC and Abuja malaria control goals and targets.
	Build country and partners institutional capacity in malaria control to support malaria leadership, management team building and new partnerships built on country needs and demands.
	Ensuring timely financial flow, accounting and audit of funds.
	Translating policies and political commitments into deliverables.

Malaria Control at the Cross Roads: Time for Action and Delivery: Together we can all make a difference and indeed we will!!

Venue of Conference
Pamodzi Hotel, Lusaka, Zambia
Tel: 260-1-254455
Fax: 260-1-250995
E-mail: pamodzi@zamnet.zm<mailto:pamodzi@zamnet.zm>

Contact Numbers:

Dr J Chimumbwa National Manager MCP-ManagerMOH: 260-97779537
Dr F Masaninga WHO-Malaria Control Officer: 260-(0)97846745 (fmasaninga@who.org.zim)
Mrs Jere WHO Administrator:260-97790457 

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