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Health
Allied Forces meet on the Rebel Malaria Problem in
Southern Africa
25th and 26th July 2001, 19/07/01
Join
the Roll Back Malaria Movement in Southern Africa
A
meeting consisting of some ministers of health
from SADC countries, WHO and other RBM partners,
NGOs and the private sector will take place in
Victoria Falls from July 22 to 29, 2001.
The main theme-focus of the meeting is
mobilizing country, SADC and international
resources for increased massive efforts for
scaling up a malaria control over next five years
in Southern Africa. The evidence on the burden of
malaria, the effectiveness of the current and new
tools will be demonstrated and examples of
progress by countries would be reviewed and
challenges identified.
Inspite
of the various social, economic and political
challenges besetting the region , it is
anticipated that the key targets of Roll Back
Malaria in Southern Africa to reduce the
staggering malaria deaths from the current 300 000
per annum to 150 000 deaths by the year 2010 an be
accomplished. Through the involvement of various
stakeholders consisting of Ministers of Health,
SADC health sector coordinating unit, Malaria
Control Officers from Ministries of Health of SADC
countries and other Roll Back Malaria Partners;
World Health Organizations (WHO), United Nations
Children and Education Fund (UNICEF), United
Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP), Australian
Development Agency (AusAID), Department for
International Development–UK (DFID), Italian
Corporation, Regional and International Research
institutions and Universities and the private
sector producing drugs, insecticides, nets,
laboratory test kits and private industries in the
region (Bayer, Syngenta, Emnet, BASF, Aventis,
Ecomark, Wetsergard-Fransen, Scientific Group,
Biomed, CCSI, SASOL, Angola American, Sun
Interational etc ).
In
addition, the RBM in Southern Africa aims at
reducing the number of people living in
malaria-free areas from 50 million to 70 million,
will be mapped out. Given the fact that that,
there are 19 – 21 million reported malaria cases
in the region while 200 000 – 300 000 deaths
occur every year. Most of the victims are poor
people, especially in rural areas and children
below five years. In some of the countries in the
region about 60 percent of the population are
infected with malaria at any given time this is
even higher then the prevalence of HIV.
In
order to meet this serious challenge the
mobilisation of resources and real action for
scaling up malaria control measures from all
communities, governments and partners need to be
undertaken now, and the media can:
 |
Save
lives by informing the public on current
malaria situation and control |
|
Save
lives by educating the public on how best they
can protect themselves |
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Save
lives by mobilizing the politicians, policy
makers, national and international health and
development agencies to real action. |
The
media is invited specifically to participate in
the confrence and in press briefing sessions to be
held on the 25th and 26th of
July 2001, at the Elephant Hills Hotel, Victoria
Falls, Zimbabwe. For more information details
contact Mr. P. Nyahoda 263-4-253724-30 or 091 255
706 or nyahodap@who.co.zw.
Together
We Can Save Lives From Malaria!
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