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Advocacy in Mozambique (VOICES Programme)

Situation:

Malaria claims up to 3 million lives each year, with an estimated 300-500 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 considers malaria an important health threat. Resources to address the malaria burden are not proportional to the extent of the devastation. This needs to change if we are serious about reducing the burden and recognizing the impact on the social and economic wellbeing and health of African society. In the case of malaria, advocacy will support all means possible to reduce the burden and suffering caused by the disease. 

Response:

The Mobilising for Malaria programme in Mozambique aims to develop a cohesive partnership among civil society, private sector and media advocacy specialists and decision-makers in Mozambique, to influence political support and commitment to malaria control, and to mobilise resources for malaria. The Malaria Consortium’s approach consists of:

·         developing Mozambican advocacy capacity (linked to global advocacy efforts) and enabling local civil society to support the cause of malaria

·         engaging agencies successful in other causes to create a new generation of malaria advocates who are well resourced

·         combining media, mobilization and marketing to raise the level of political debate and policy in favour of sustained support for malaria.

This approach will also be the framework for fostering innovation through ‘innovation awards’ to individuals, local agencies and NGOs – providing awards to individuals to encourage creativity and engagement in the cause of malaria. 

Mobilising for Malaria, Mozambique is part of the VOICES for a Malaria-Free Future project, which highlights successful anti-malaria efforts and evidence-based results.

VOICES is designed to educate policymakers about effective programs and strategies for malaria control. VOICES includes advocacy projects in four developing countries — Ghana, Kenya, Mali, and Mozambique — that will promote progress made against malaria while also breaking down policy barriers that hamper effective prevention and control. Recent increases in dedicated funding are creating a wave of momentum to limit malaria’s impact through insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), new combination therapies (ACTs), indoor residual spraying (IRS), intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) for pregnant women and infants, and vaccine research. While progress is being achieved and measured, many policymakers and opinion leaders are not fully aware of this progress or that a malaria-free future for families is possible. By highlighting successful work going on at the country level, it is hoped this will engage and bolster advocacy efforts.

At the global level, VOICES works with donor country leaders, policymakers, opinion leaders, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), multilateral funding agencies, the Roll Back Malaria Partnership (RBM), global health advocates, existing malaria stakeholders, the private sector, the faith-based community, the research and development community, and the media. VOICES also closely tracks global funding trends from a variety of sources, such as the World Bank, GFATM, governments, and other donors. Other VOICES projects include the Johns Hopkins University (specifically the Bloomberg School of Public Health Centre for Communication Programs, or CCP) works with local community-based organizations to implement projects in both Ghana and Mali. The CORE Group, a membership association of international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), will work with CCP in Mali through Groupe Pivot, a well-established national NGO umbrella group and in Kenya, CORE Group provide support to the Kenya NGO Alliance Against Malaria (KeNAAM). The developing country efforts will work to ensure national malaria control strategies are in place, and adequately funded and implemented.  Supported by an $8.7 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, VOICES develops materials based on lessons learned, successes, and case studies from developing country activities to enhance ongoing advocacy efforts and encourage new malaria advocates. It also seeks strategic opportunities to bring spokespersons from developing countries to the global stage to help make malaria a priority for opinion leaders, policymakers, and the media. 

Points to note:

Addressing the malaria burden in Mozambique therefore requires:

  • informed political support,
  • a supportive policy environment and engagement of civil society and media,
  • advocating not only for more resources but also for their judicious use through improved coordination and distribution to communities most affected.