Malaria Advocacy
BACKGROUND
Malaria causes up to 3 million deaths and 500 million acute infections a year, 90% of which are in Africa, costing upwards of US$12 billion per annum. It is the world's invisible pandemic. A 2004 Gallup poll found that only two per cent of the world's population considered malaria an important health threat. Also, whilst AIDS and malaria account for a broadly similar toll of human lives, malaria was receiving 10% of the funding attracted by AIDS at a global level.
The real involvement of African countries began in 2000 when African Heads of State met in Abuja and agreed a Plan of Action and Declaration to achieve specific targets on malaria prevention and control. By signing the Declaration the African leaders committed themselves to an intensive effort to halve the malaria mortality for Africa's people by 2010.
Simultaneously malaria advocacy was a priority for the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, launched in 1998 by WHO, UNICEF, UNDP and the World Bank, to provide a coordinated global approach to fighting malaria. RBM developed and endorsed a Global Strategic Plan and Global Advocacy Framework for 2006-2015, leading to the creation of the RBM Malaria Advocacy Working Group (MAWG) which now has an important role in strengthening joined-up advocacy efforts.
In the last few years donors have begun to channel new funding towards malaria advocacy programmes; for the Malaria Consortium this has been through grants awarded by GSK's African Malaria Partnership and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation aimed at increasing advocacy efforts and to encourage new malaria advocates both in the North and in the South.
In South-East Asia, a Revised Malaria Control Strategy for the Region was endorsed in August 2006 initiating advocacy efforts in the region. Its goal is to reduce the malaria morbidity by 50% and to reduce the mortality by 75% of the levels in 2000 by the year 2010 and achieve Millennium Development Goals in the member countries of the region by 2015.
THE NEED
Malaria Consortium and partners have acknowledged the need for coordinated mobilisation and action against malaria from civil society and relevant stakeholders at the international, regional, national and local levels which rests on a common framework to ensure sustained and effective advocacy for sustained funding and commitment.
A comprehensive and effective advocacy response requires:
- The production and dissemination of resources containing accurate, user-friendly information for policy makers, advocates and communities;
- Clear and tailored messages aimed at various audiences, including affected communities;
- Strengthening of advocacy capacity and capability in malaria endemic countries;
- Fostering alliances of effective malaria advocates/activists both in the North and in the South; and
- Partnership working involving NGOs, media, private sector, and decision makers to ensure media coverage, policy debate and changes and NGO action.
MC ADVOCACY PROGRAMMES
MC's advocacy programmes aim to reduce the human and economic burden of malaria by influencing policy and action both in developed and developing countries. They do so by:
- Enabling, supporting, and strengthening African and European Coalitions Against Malaria to develop linkages between, and within, North and South;
- Assisting malaria advocates and activists in Europe, Africa and Asia by providing tools, information and training;
- Engaging successful HIV agencies/organisations to create a new generation of malaria champions and activists who are well resourced;
- Helping to unify civil society voice and action to ensure that more vulnerable groups receive effective prevention and treatment interventions.
Mobilising for Malaria
"Mobilising for Malaria" is a three-year partnership programme between the Malaria Consortium (MC) and GSK's African Malaria Partnership. This initiative aims to combat malaria in Africa by increasing awareness of, and mobilising support for an effective and sustained response to malaria in Africa and Europe.
This programme is being implemented through Coalitions that have been established in the UK, France, Cameroon and Ethiopia and are being established in Mozambique, Benin and Belgium.
In Mozambique, Mobilising for Malaria is carried out in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as part of the VOICES project which includes advocacy programmes in four African countries - Ghana, Kenya, Mali, and Mozambique.
More info:
http://www.coalitionagainstmalaria.org/
http://www.malariafreefuture.org/
European Alliance against Malaria
The European Alliance against Malaria is a Gates funded project which aims to develop a cohesive partnership among civil society, private sector, media and advocacy specialists, decision-makers and parliamentarians in the EU Institutions and in four strategically selected European countries. The aim is to influence the level of political support and financial commitment to malaria control.
More info: http://www.europeanallianceagainstmalaria.org/
Case Study: Ethiopian Coalition Against Malaria (CAME)
CAME was launched on Africa Malaria Day 2006 and currently has 50 members, representing the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), NGOs, CSOs, Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs), Private Organizations (POs), media, Associations of People Living with HIV/AIDS and other relevant government institutions. The Malaria Control Support Team at the Department of Family Health for the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) supports the work of CAME.
In just one year, CAME has taken significant steps towards increasing the awareness, understanding and involvement of civil society - including the media - government representatives and other relevant stakeholders.
Key activities/achievements to date include:
- A "Malaria Advocacy Strategy development Workshop" for CAME members
- The creation of a Coalition of Media against Malaria (CMAME)
- The establishment of a Malaria Resource Centre
- Production of advocacy materials
- Mobilisation a response to floods in the country
- National and regional radio programmes