Malaria Consortium supports Comic Relief's Operation Health campaign

Malaria Consortium is delighted to be part of Comic Relief’s main fundraising campaign for Red Nose Day this year - Operation Health, involving a major renovation of a dilapidated rural clinic in Uganda.

International health NGO, Malaria Consortium, has been funded by Comic Relief to provide local level expertise and support for the refurbishment of Iyolwa Health Centre. Endorsed by the Ministry of Health and managed in collaboration with the local community and district health staff, Comic Relief’s project will focus on improving the clinic’s infrastructure, and training staff on the use and maintenance of any new equipment.

Malaria Consortium has been asked to provide local support for this project not only because of our longstanding partnership with Comic Relief, but because of our experience working at the community level in Uganda and particularly in the district where the clinic is based.

“This project will contribute to our efforts to help strengthen health systems in the country, particularly with respect to the management of malaria,” said Country Director for Malaria Consortium Uganda, Dr Godfrey Magumba. “This is an absolute necessity in one of the most malarious areas of the country, where residents are being exposed to 1-2 infectious mosquito bites per night.”

Malaria accounts for more than 40 percent of outpatient attendance at under-resourced health facilities in the area. The health system is generally overstretched too, in part due to Tororo’s close proximity to Kenya; many people cross the border to benefit from the free healthcare provided in Uganda. The clinic at Iyolwa, which already serves up to 20,000 people from the surrounding villages, has often found itself faced with supply shortages and insufficient staff.

Operation Health is complemented by the work of two other Malaria Consortium projects funded by Comic Relief in eastern Uganda, one in the same district of Tororo and the other in neighbouring Mbale. Both initiatives, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, are helping to reduce the burden of malaria in children under five years old through activities in the community, and support and training at health facilities. Malaria Consortium has also recently concluded a five year Comic Relief funded project in western Uganda, Pioneer, which helped turn a region with a high number of child malaria deaths to one where over 340,000 children had access to live saving treatment at community level.

Operation Health will feature throughout the BBC coverage of the run up to Red Nose Day on 13th March this year. You can find out more from the Comic Relief website or from Malaria Consortium’s associated webpage.

Notes to editors:

About Malaria Consortium:

Malaria Consortium works with partners, including all levels of government, to improve the lives of all, especially the poorest and marginalised, in Africa and Asia. We target key health burdens, including malaria, pneumonia, dengue and neglected tropical diseases, along with other factors that impact child and maternal health. Comic Relief has pre-approved a grant to Malaria Consortium for the renovation of Iyolwa clinic, Tororo. Comic Relief has supported Malaria Consortium's work in Uganda since 2009 to help reduce child deaths from malaria.

For more information please contact: Marian Blondeel, Senior Communications Officer, Malaria Consortium.
Email: [email protected] or call 0044 (0)207 549 0210; www.malariaconsortium.org;

About Red Nose Day:

Red Nose Day 2015 is heading your way on Friday 13th March when the great British public will be asked to Make Your Face Funny for Money. By raising cash this Red Nose Day, you’re helping to change lives forever. That’s because Comic Relief spends the money raised to help change the lives of poor, vulnerable and disadvantaged people across the UK and Africa.

Red Nose Day comes along every two years and combines two very British things: having a laugh and helping others. Be it at school, work or home, people across the land put on Red Noses and pull out all the stops to raise as much money as possible. Then, once everyone’s run out of fundraising juice, they tune into BBC One for some top entertainment from their favourite comedians and to donate even more cash! And why do they do it? To help poor and vulnerable people living incredibly tough lives both here in the UK and in Africa

Comic Relief, registered charity 326568 (England/Wales); SC039730 (Scotland)

Country: Uganda

Keywords: Treatment | Facility health services | Health system strengthening | Maternal, neonatal and child health | Advocacy and policy

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