Events archive: 2008
Below, you can find RBM Partnership and RBM Partners 2008 events that have been archived from the home page. For detailed information on featured events, please reference the monthly RBM e-update, to the right. Older events can be found on the right-hand toolbar Calendar of Events under their respective year.
UN General Assembly Adopts New Resolution on the Decade to Roll Back Malaria
New York, USA, 22 December 2008: The United Nations General Assembly met on Dec 22, 2008, to address the Decade to Roll Back Malaria for which it considered draft resolution number A/63/L.62. The text welcomes the Global Malaria Action Plan that, for the first time, provided a comprehensive strategy for combating the disease in the short, medium and long term. The plan also gives further impetus to internationally agreed targets of universal coverage of malaria interventions for all at-risk populations by 2010, with the ultimate goal of eradicating the disease.
More info
Germany, a key player in tackling malaria, highlights Global Plan to save over 4 million lives by 2015
Berlin, Germany, 18 December 2008: At a conference organised by the European Alliance Against Malaria this week, Germany was highlighted as being a key player in maintaining focus in global health investments and subsequently meeting the Millennium Development goals.
The Global Malaria Action Plan (GMAP) was presented by Prof Awa Coll-Seck, Executive Director of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, to a number of key policy-makers in Berlin where Germany's role in reaching the aim of defeating malaria was described as absolutely vital. The GMAP details how to accelerate action against malaria, across countries and regions, leading to elimination of the disease.
"Germany is the third biggest donor to the Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria and is an increasingly important player on the ground in Africa tackling the disease," said Dr Coll-Seck. "Given the current economic situation, Germany’s continued political and economic leadership is absolutely vital if we are to meet our objective of reducing malaria deaths to near zero by 2015."
APPMG launches a report on improving delivery of malaria control tools
London, UK, 17 December 2008: The All Party Parliamentary Group on Malaria & Neglected Tropical Diseases (APPMG) released today specific recommendations for improved delivery of malaria control prevention and treatment as part of its fourth report, entitled "Delivering Malaria Control to Those in Need: How to Succeed in a Time of Renewed Hope".
View Fourth APPMG report
More info
Faith Community Pledges Greater Collaboration on Malaria Elimination
Washington DC, USA, 16 December 2008: More than 50 high-level leaders from the faith, international development, and public health communities came together for the Leadership Consultation on Scaling up Faith Community Impact against Malaria. This special event was hosted by the new Center for Interfaith Action on Global Poverty (CIFA) to promote greater collaboration on malaria control among diverse faith groups and congregations.
View Malaria: Scoping New Partnerships
More info
Global Fund Partnership Forum- RBM applauded for supporting countries
Dakar, Senegal, 10 December 2008: 500 delegates representing all stakeholder groups of the Global Fund gathered at the Fund's 2008 Partnership Forum to discuss ways to improve partner coordination at national, regional and global levels. Participants commended the Roll Back Malaria Partnership for its extensive country support effort in 2008. RBM helped mobilise US$1.6 billion in grants from the Global Fund for 14 malaria-endemic countries.
More info on the Global Fund Partnership Forum
World Bank Commits US$ 1.1. billion to Combating Malaria in Africa
Abuja, Nigeria, 4 December, 2008: US$1,1 billion will go to malaria control efforts in Africa thanks to the World Bank's Malaria Booster Program. Building on prior successes, Phase II of the Booster Program will help expand bed net distribution, provide treatment to the rural poor and improve health systems in two of the highest-burden countries in Africa: the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria. The World Bank will work with the Global Fund and other partners of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership (RBM) to implement RBM's Global Malaria Action Plan, widely endorsed by the malaria community.
View WB Press Release
More on Booster Programme Phase II
Two diseases - one response
RBM pushes for integrating malaria control in HIV interventions at a health conference
Dakar, Senegal, 2 December 2008: Seven Roll Back Malaria Partners called for integrating malaria control efforts in AIDS prevention and treatment at the International Conference on AIDS and STDs in Africa (ICASA), a leading HIV forum.
"Integrated delivery of prevention tools is a win-win strategy for both the malaria and the HIV/AIDS communities," said Dr Thomas Teuscher, Senior Adviser at RBM. "It minimizes pressure on the existing delivery capacity in Africa, while improving use of multiple interventions by populations at risk."
Vestergaard Frandsen, one of RBM's private sector partners, presented its Care Pack, designed to provide protection from three of the world's deadliest diseases: malaria, HIV and diarrhoeal diseases. The pack, which was first introduced to community delegates during the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto in 2006, contains a long-lasting, insecticide-treated bednet, condoms and a water purifier. It is now being distributed in antenatal care clinics, voluntary, counseling and testing centers and net distribution campaigns.
Other RBM partners, such as Friends of the Global Fund - Africa and the African Network of People living with HIV in Central Africa advocated for integrating NGOs capacity-building and malaria control measures in future Global Fund applications for HIV/AIDS. World Vision pushed for adding a malaria control component to current community-based activities for better access to HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.
RBM partners, including Global Advocates, Voices, The European Alliance Against Malaria (EAAM), and the John Hopkins Center for Communication Programs collected substantial support for the global petition on "HIV/Malaria" launched at the 17th AIDS Conference in Mexico earlier this year. Drawing attention to the problem of co-infection with HIV/AIDS and malaria, the petition demands that insecticide-treated nets for malaria prevention become part of a health care package for people living with HIV/AIDS.
More info
Canada supports ground-breaking malaria treatment program in sub-Saharan Africa
Washington DC, USA, 2 December 2008: Population Services International (PSI) is launching a new comprehensive project that could dramatically reduce the number of African children dying every year from malaria. The program will provide free artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACT) given by local community health workers to poor children suspected of having malaria. The project is funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and led by the non-profit organization PSI in collaboration with TDR, the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases supported by UNICEF, United Nations Development Program, the World Bank and the World Health Organization.
Read CIDA/PSI/TDR Press Release
EU conference issues initial 'White Paper on Malaria'
Brussels, Belgium, 13-14 November 2008: The European Commission organized an international conference on Poverty-Related Diseases, focussing on 'the big three' global killer diseases: HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB. The conference aimed to identify bottlenecks in research, and to clarify the role that EC-supported research can play in battling the three diseases. EU Commissioner Potocnik called for political momentum for continuing and intensifying research. The EU's Framework Programme 6 (FP6) has allocated more than EUR 450m to research and development into new drugs, vaccines and clinical investigations for poverty-related diseases. Read the White Paper on malaria prepared by the conference participants.
More info
Commemoration of SADC Malaria Day
KwaZulu Natal Province, South Africa, 14 November 2008: The Southern African Development Community (SADC) commemorated Malaria Day on 14th November, 2008 in Mamfene, KwaZulu Natal Province, South Africa under the theme: "Malaria, a disease without borders" and the slogan: "SADC, United against malaria". SADC Ministers of Health, WHO and other RBM Partners in the region participated in this activity.
15th RBM Board Meeting to align partners for accelerated action
New Delhi, India, 10-12 November 2008: The Roll Back Malaria Partnership Board convened for its 15th biannual meeting to provide leadership and critical guidance to a potent global effort against malaria. As partners intensify their activities to implement an ambitious new plan for malaria control and elimination (Global Malaria Action Plan), sound decisions and a tight coordination of policies and initiatives are needed at global, regional and national levels to ensure that endemic countries reach the RBM 2010 targets. The decisions made at this Board meeting determine the scope of the Partnership's support to endemic countries at a time of unprecedented international commitment to reducing the burden of the disease.
View15th Roll Back Malaria Partnership Board DRAFT Summary of Decision Points [in English] [en français]
View also Pre-Board and Board presentations
Y's Men International joins global fight against malaria
Geneva, 18 November 2008: The Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership Secretariat is pleased to announce the participation of Y's Men International in the global fight against a disease which claims one million lives each year, the majority of which are children in sub-Saharan Africa.
Read Press release
Global Fund approves Affordable Medicines Facility for malaria (AMFm), USD 2.75bn in new grants
10 November 2008: Gathering at its 18th meeting in Delhi, the Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has approved the Policy Framework and Implementation Plan set out in the AMFm Ad Hoc Committee Report. It reaffirmed its decision to host and manage the AMFm for an initial phase in a limited number of countries.
View Board Decisions
The GFATM Board also approved 94 new grants worth USD 2.75bn over two years, the largest amount in the history of the organization, well over twice the size of any previous round.
Read The Global Fund Press release
Malaria Day in the Americas
6 November 2008: In support of the world's continuing battle against malaria the Pan American Health Organization and the Center for Global Health at the George Washington University hosted the 2008 commemoration forum for Malaria Day in the Americas: Overcoming the Challenges of a Borderless Disease.
More info
Youssou N'Dour and Gabrielle Fitzgerald Join Malaria No More Board of Directors
3 November 2008: Malaria No More announced two new members of its Board of Directors, musician and malaria activist Youssou N’Dour and Gabrielle Fitzgerald of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
More info
RBM Harmonization Working Group Meeting
Geneva, 28-29 October 2008: The RBM Harmonisation Working Group gathered in Geneva for its bi-annual meeting to agree on priority activities and outputs for 2009 and share information on key developments and next steps.
RBM Rolls Out Malaria Management Tool
Abuja, 20 October 2008: An RBM-led team of experts has begun consultations in Nigeria to assist the country in finalizing its malaria control business plan. The team uses a new management tool, developed by the RBM Partnership and McKinsey & Co that aims to help malaria-endemic countries to manage, monitor, and report on malaria control activities at all service delivery levels.
Colloque international 'Santé et Mondialisation': 21-22 Oct à Paris
La Cité des Sciences à Paris a organisé une Nuit contre le paludisme, en collaboration avec la coalition mondiale RBM, les Amis du Fond Mondial Europe et Sanofi-Aventis. Des analyses, des témoignages, de la musique et du théâtre pour sensibiliser le grand public et combattre une maladie qui tue un enfant toutes les 30 secondes.
Lire plus
Voir un reportage vudéo de TV5
Should malaria treatment in Africa be free?
Johannesburg, South Africa, 30 September 2008 : - Médecins sans frontières (MSF) called for free malaria treatment in Africa today as it released a report with recommendations for combating malaria based on its experience with hundreds of thousands of patients in Chad, Sierra Leone and Mail.
Providing free access to tests and treatment for malaria increases dramatically the number of people who seek treatment for the disease, the international medical aid group said.
Expanding testing will "ensure that we are treating malaria and not other diseases," said Awa Marie Coll-Seck, Executive Director of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, the leading forum for mobilizing action and resources in the global fight against malaria. Better access to testing will save lives, limit inappropriate treatment and help experts refine their estimates of the toll malaria is taking.
View MSF Press Release
Read Full Prescription: better malaria treatment for more people, MSF's experience report
More info
Global Roadmap to End Malaria Launched at UN Summit
More than 4 million lives can be saved by 2015 if resources are scaled up, reports a new malaria elimination plan launched by members of the international community attending the UN Summit in New York on Sept. 25, 2008.
The Global Malaria Action Plan (GMAP), developed by the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership, is the first-ever single comprehensive blueprint for global malaria control and elimination. It outlines strategies, costs, goals and timelines designed to build on the trajectory of recent successes in malaria control, moving towards full malaria control and beyond in countries across the globe. Heads of state and government, major agencies and private sector representatives, faith and civil society leaders have united behind this plan to ensure full coverage of malaria interventions by 2010 and to achieve near zero preventable malaria deaths by 2015 as a major step towards ultimately eradicating malaria.
View the full Global Malaria Action Plan
GMAP Launch Press Release
MDG Malaria Summit World Leaders Unite Summary Report
RBM notice on the GMAP launch
Backgrounder about the GMAP
GMAP presentation
Backgrounder about the RBM Partnership
WHO Releases World Malaria Report 2008
Geneva, 18 September 2008: - There were an estimated 247 million cases of malaria and 881 000 deaths from the disease in 2006, mostly among children in Africa, making it one of the world's leading killers. Yet the World Malaria Report – 2008 provides strong evidence that a renewed global assault on malaria, underway since the turn of the millennium, has been accelerating in the last few years. The report draws on reporting by countries, and on household surveys, to chart the global fight against malaria.
More info
Read The World Malaria Report 2008 [4.9M]
View Press conference opening at UNOG : 20 min
Progress Against Malaria in Tanzania
In its recent newsletter, the Ifakara Health Institute analyses the most recent malaria and HIV/AIDS data in Tanzania based on preliminary results from the national HIV/AIDS and Malaria Indicator Survey 2007-8. A particular focus on comparison to previous estimates is made. For instance, the proportion of women who received preventive treatment for malaria during pregnancy (IPTp) went up from 22% to 57%.
View full commentary
Protecting populations in the DRC
Kinshasa, September 18, 2008: - The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is undertaking two large-scale activities aimed at moving towards national coverage with mosquito nets for malaria prevention. In Kinshasa - the third largest urban center in Africa – the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) will distribute two million long-lasting insecticide treated nets (LLIN). In addition, an integrated vaccination and malaria campaign will take place in Equateur province with the objective of protecting more than 1.5 million children from the ravages of measles, poliomyelitis, vitamin A deficiency, intestinal worms and malaria. Close to 1.5 million LLINs will be distributed during the weeklong campaign.
More info on The Alliance for Malaria Prevention (AMP)
Read AMP Press Release
Friends Africa and AfriCASO in Strategic Partnership
Ghana, September 2008: - Friends Africa and AfriCASO organized a Grassroots NGO Capacity Building Seminar, 15-17 September in Accra, to increase the planning, evaluation and fundraising capacity of 60 African community-level organizations. His Excellency Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Vice-President of Ghana, opened the seminar. The UN Special Envoy for AIDS in Africa and Global Fund Vice Chair Elizabeth Mataka also played a lead role in the seminar, which was designed to build the grant writing, project implementation and monitoring and evaluation capacity of participating organizations. The objective of this initiative is for grassroots organizations to scale up their activities by attracting increased funding through solid proposals and implementation of existing projects. A six-month follow-up support period is planned to track participants' progress towards desired outcomes.
More info from Friends of Africa
AfriCASO
RBM deploys tools for collecting data critical to malaria control in countries
Lusaka, 9-12 September 2008: - RBM's Monitoring and Evaluation Reference Group (MERG) initiated training workshops to help endemic countries carry out malaria indicator surveys (MIS). The MIS tool was developed by RBM to provide a better assessment of household coverage with effective interventions and facilitate malaria control policy decisions at country level.
View the Report of "MIS Planning and Implementation" workshop for Anglophone countries - 9-12 September 2008 Lusaka, Zambia
"MIS Planning and Implementation" workshop for francophone countries - the week of 6 October 2008, Dakar
Global Effort on Malaria Kicks Off in France
September 9, Paris 2008: - France hosts a week of keynote events to reinforce global commitment to ending malaria deaths. The French initiative launched with a photo exhibition, attended by over 500 ministers, parliamentarians from Europe and Africa, NGOs and private sector representatives. Friends of the Global Fund Europe, under the leadership of President Michèle Barzach, spearheaded organization of the events.
Worldwide advocacy efforts over the next month will launch the World Malaria Report 2008 and the Global Malaria Action Plan, a comprehensive strategy for achieving malaria control and elimination worldwide. Events scheduled for Geneva, New York, Nairobi, Bamako and Manila will target intensified response to the disease.
Read more on keynote events in Paris and other advocacy events
Davantage de soutien international promis pour la lutte contre le paludisme au Bénin
Cotonou, 2 septembre 2008: - M. Ray Chambers, envoyé spécial des Nations Unies pour le paludisme, et la Directrice Exécutive du Partenariat Faire Reculer le Paludisme Prof. Awa Marie Coll-Seck ont rendu une visite au chef de l'Etat du Bénin, Thomas Boni Yayi, pour discuter des mesures nécessaires à l'intensification de la lutte contre le paludisme en Afrique. Le Bénin, qui bénéfice déjà de 20 millions USD d'aide américaine, fera l'objet d'efforts par l'envoyé spécial aux fins de lever davantage de fonds pour soutenir le pays dans sa croisade contre la maladie.
Voir OMS/Bénin Communiqué de presse
Experts meet in Geneva to build AMFm implementation plan
Geneva, 19 August 2008: - Experts in medicine subsidies gather in Geneva to refine the Affordable Medicines Facility for malaria (AMFm) and discuss its implementation plan. AMFm is an initiative to increase access to effective malaria treatment for people in endemic countries. By making ACTs available at a much lower price, more people will be able to afford them.
More info on Affordable Medicines Facility for malaria (AMFm)
Global Soccer Stars join AYSO kids to Lead Soccer Community in Nationwide Fundraising
Effort to Fight Malaria
New York, 4 August 2008: - Soccer club FC Barcelona, FCB Foundation, Malaria No More and the
American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) today announced the "More Than A Club: Kick it to
Malaria" initiative. The focus of this global partnership is to raise funds and awareness to help fight
malaria and save the lives of children in Africa.
More info
Ministers of Health meet in Benin for ninth Ordinary Assembly of ECOWAS
Cotonou, Benin, 25-26 July 2008: - At the ninth Ordinary Assembly of the Economic Community of West African States, Ministers of Health from Benin, Burkina Faso, Cap Vert, Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo adopted the West African Health Organization's strategic plan for 2009-2013, which makes the fight against malaria a great priority for the region. Also attending the Assembly were representatives from the Roll Back Malaria Partnership Secretariat, the World Health Organization, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the African Medical and Research Foundation, and many others.
More info
Malaria advocates call for action at International AIDS talks in Mexico
The International AIDS Society is holding its XVII International AIDS Conference from Aug. 3 to 8 in Mexico City. As part of an ongoing initiative to build stronger joint HIV/AIDS and malaria platforms, advocates are gathering signatures for a global petition which demands free insecticide-treated nets for all people living with HIV in malaria endemic areas.
Sign the Petition
MDG on malaria 'unlikely to be met', Wellcome Trust says
23 July 2008: - The Millennium Development Goal (MDG) to halt and begin to reverse the incidence of malaria globally is unlikely to be met, according to Wellcome Trust Principal Research Fellow Professor Bob Snow. The statement comes in a report published in the open access journal 'PLoS Medicine'.
Read Wellcome Trust Press Release
US President George W. Bush approves increased funding for malaria
23 July 2008: - The Roll Back Malaria Partnership expresses its appreciation to United States President George W. Bush for signing into law The Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008. This law authorizes increased funding for malaria to US$ 5 billion over the next five years, and represents a remarkable escalation in US financing against this disease. "In signing this important piece of legislation, President Bush demonstrates continuing and ever-greater commitment and leadership in the global fight against malaria. The availability of this funding can enable millions of people to have access to the prevention and treatment tools necessary to combat malaria" stated Dr Awa Marie Coll-Seck, Executive Director of the RBM Partnership.
RBM commends Clinton's anti-malaria drug deal
18 July 2008: - RBM applauds the Clinton Foundation for signing an agreement with six companies in China and India to lower prices of malaria treatments. Improving access to artemisinin-based combination therapies is key to achieving RBM's targets for halving the malaria burden by 2010 and reaching the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.
Read Clinton Foundation Press Release
RBM Partners Feed into the Plan for Global Action against Malaria
Geneva, Switzerland, 15-17 July 2008: - Over 80 RBM partners convened in Geneva today to provide final contributions to the global plan for coordinated action against malaria. The RBM plan has been developed through partnership-wide consultations with over 300 experts and will be finalised in the upcoming months. It outlines the actions needed to achieve RBM's near-term goals of 2010 and 2015 and to prepare for the elimination and the eventual eradication of the disease worldwide.
More info on GMBP
The Roll Back Malaria Partnership Secretariat commends the G8 leaders' reconfirmed promises to fight disease in Africa
Toyako, Japan, 8 July 2008: - At the Group of Eight summit in Toyako, Japan, G8 leaders reiterated previous commitments to spend $US 60 billion to fight disease in Africa. In the spirit of mutual accountability, G8 leaders set a five-year deadline to make good on their pledges. They promised to work in partnership with all stakeholders to enable malaria endemic countries to cover 85% of their populations at risk with malaria-control interventions, and specifically agreed to provide 100 million insecticide-treated nets by the end of 2010 to halt the spread of this major killer disease.
Read the G8 leaders' collective declaration
Roll Back Malaria calls for G8 attention
Tokyo, 2 July, 2008: - Roll Back Malaria Partners called on Members of Parliaments from G8 countries meeting to invest in one of the top 5 most cost-effective health interventions - malaria control. Doing so, they argued, reaps tangible rewards, generating nearly US$ 20 in benefits for every invested dollar.
View RBM Press release
The EU must tackle malaria, urges EAAM
Three days before the European Council meeting from June 19-20, the European Alliance Against Malaria (EAAM) called on the EU member states to fulfill their financial commitments to achieve the health related MDGs. The Union seeked agreement on its ambitious MDG Action Plan. "Malaria is one of the great obstacles to achieve the MDGs, namely goals four and five," said Dr. Awa Marie Coll-Seck, Executive Director of the RBM Partnership. She was briefing Mr. Lluis Riera, Director at the DG Development of the European Commission, in Brussels.
Read the European Alliance Against Malaria Press release
The World Economic Forum Zeros in on Malaria in Africa
Cape Town, 4-6 June: - Malaria, a disease that has been repeatedly shown to stall Africa's economic development, was the focus of three sessions at the annual gathering of the World Economic Forum on Africa. Global and regional leaders discussed how to better strengthen Africa's health systems, encourage further innovation in current malaria interventions and secure financial investment for sustained malaria control. The Zambezi expedition, a recent advocacy initiative of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership was showcased as a successful model for strengthening regional cooperation on malaria control.
Read RBM Partnership Press release [in English] [en français]
View video clip shown as a part of panel discussions
More info from WEF
The Global Fund Launches Additional Funding Round in 2008
Geneva, 4 June 2008: - The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria today announced that it will launch a second call for proposals in 2008, inviting countries burdened by the three diseases to submit additional requests for funding. It will be the ninth round of funding since the Global Fund’s creation in 2002, and it is only the second time that two calls for proposals have been launched in the course of a single year.
Read the Global Fund Press Release [in English]
Leaders to Focus on Malaria at Tokyo Conference
Tokyo / Geneva, 26 May 2008: - Financing malaria control will be a commanding theme at the 4th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), starting on May 27 in Yokohama. African leaders will address the burden of malaria within the human security segment of the 3-day conference, signaling the significance of a disease that hampers Africa's economic development.
Read the RBM Media Alert [in English] [in English] [en français]
Fighting Malaria Key to Achieving Millennium Promise ["me too" Press Release]
Marching for effective malaria drugs in Africa
19 May 2008: - "The March of Washingtons," a grassroots fundraising effort, organized by Hedge Funds vs. Malaria and Africa Fighting Malaria, is rallying support to deliver high quality malaria drugs to malaria patients in Africa. The initiative is a response to the findings of a recent study, conducted by Africa Fighting Malaria, which showed that 35% of the anti-malarial drugs sold in six major African cities were substandard and unlikely to cure the disease.
More information on the initiative
The 14th RBM Partnership Board convenes to fine-tune a strategy for accelerating malaria control worldwide
Geneva, 14-16 May 2008: - Seven constituencies, represented at the Roll Back Malaria Partnership Board, convened for the 14th biannual RBM Board meeting, to bring consensus to the global strategy for meeting the RBM 2010 targets. The RBM Board has reviewed progress, best practices, and regional needs assessments and discussed key challenges that needed to be addressed in the short, medium and long term to achieve sustainable malaria control worldwide. Key agenda items include the Partnership's harmonized work plan for 2008, the global malaria business plan, the affordable medicines facility for malaria and the deployment of a Partnership implementation team - the Malaria Implementation Support Team (MIST).
View 14th Roll Back Malaria Partnership Board Summary of Decision Points
Sumitomo Chemical Announces Olyset Production Expansion in West Africa
7 May 2008: - This week in London, Sumitomo Chemical announced plans to expand the local production of Olyset nets to West Africa, through a new production facility in Nigeria. When constructed, the new factory will generate 5,000 local jobs, and by increasing the availability of bed nets in the region, will potentially save 400,000 lives over the next 5 years from malaria
More info from Sumitomo Chemical
Now let us break these walls
Statement by Dr Awa Marie Coll-Seck, Executive Director of RBM, the global public-private partnership against malaria
25 April 2008: - "It is time to recognize that even the safest national borders cannot protect us from global threats such as malaria. It is time to break the divides between different sectors of international work and integrate our efforts at achieving the goal of covering all people at risk with malaria prevention and treatment by 2010. This goal is every bit as achievable as it is worthwhile. And it is time for us all to reach for it."
Read the full Statement
Malaria Partnership Launches "Cover The Bed Net Gap" Initiative To Protect Everyone At Risk Of Malaria In Africa
Livingstone, Zambia, 25 April 2008: - In direct response to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's call for universal coverage of malaria control in Africa, the Roll Back Malaria Partnership (RBM) today launches the "Cover The Bed Net Gap" initiative to rally donor countries, multilateral institutions, the private sector, and the general public to achieve the goal of universal bed net coverage by December 31, 2010.
Read the RBM Press Release
Full text of the UN Secretary-General's announcement
Roll Back Malaria Zambezi Expedition arrives in Livingstone to international welcome on World Malaria Day
Livingstone, 25 April 2008: - Ministers of Health from Southern Africa, Princess Astrid of Belgium, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Roll Back Malaria partnership executives and expedition sponsors from as far away as Japan and USA welcomed the Zambezi expedition crew as they arrived in Livingstone, Zambia to commemorate the first ever World Malaria Day.
Read RBM Press Release
View Zambezi Expedition slide show
More info: on Zambezi Expedition and World Malaria Day web site
World Malaria Day Malaria Community Statement
21 April 2008: - April 25th is World Malaria Day and also Malaria Awareness Day in the United States. In observance of this
day and in recognition of the tremendous opportunities to reduce the burden that malaria imposes on the health
of people worldwide, we, the Malaria Community, stand in support of the following statement.
Read Malaria Community Statement
Novartis announces 20% average reduction in price of malaria drug Coartem® to further accelerate access in malaria-endemic regions
23 April 2008 Basel, Switzerland - Novartis has announced a 20% average reduction in the price of Coartem® tablets (artemether/lumefantrine 20 mg/120 mg), the state-of-the-art artemisinin-based combination treatment (ACT) for malaria. Starting this Friday, which is World Malaria Day, this price reduction will increase access to Coartem for millions of malaria patients, especially children in low income regions of Africa.
Read Novartis Press Release
Nigeria strengthens drug safety programme focusing on ACTs
22 April 2008 Lagos, Nigeria - The Nigerian Government has signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding with RaPID to strengthen the country’s capacity to conduct pharmacovigilance. The initial project will focus on the safety profile of two artemisinin-combination treatments, artemether-lumefantrine and artesunate-amodiaquine, which form the foundation of the country’s malaria treatment program.
The Roll Back Malaria Partnership applauds Prime Minister Brown's commitment to donate $200 million to fight malaria in sub-Saharan Africa
9 April 2008 Los Angeles, USA - In a taped appearance at Idol Gives Back, a star-studded US television charity event, Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced his government's pledge to contribute $200 million to provide bed nets to populations at risk for malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. The Roll Back Malaria Partnership commends the UK government for joining Hollywood's musical artists and the American public in sending a tremendous message of hope to the world, and calls on the rest of the donor community to commit the funds necessary to tackle malaria once and for all.
More info: Brown in £100m war on malaria
Every child deserves to sleep safe in bed at night
RBM welcomes faith-based organizations to the fight against malaria
4 April 2008 Geneva, Switzerland - The Roll Back Malaria Partnership applauds UN Foundation's new partnership with faith-based organizations to raise $200 million for the global fight against malaria.
"We wholeheartedly support this initiative," stated Dr. Awa-Marie Coll Seck, Executive Director of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership. "We are reaching a critical point in the fight against malaria. Only 3 years separate us from our 2010 global target of covering 80% of all people at risk with adequate protection and treatment. This new partnership will mobilize funding to further accelerate coverage with much needed insecticide treated nets."
Since the launch of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, donor funding for malaria has increased from $100 million to $1 billion annually. Nevertheless, current funding covers only a third of the estimated global need. An additional $2 billion is needed every year to control malaria worldwide.
View UN Foundation Press Release
Malaria-endemic countries in Southern Africa and RBM regional partners to roll out a plan on regional malaria initiatives
3 April 2008 Maputo, Mozambique - 4 malaria-endemic countries in Southern Africa and RBM regional partners have begun reviewing progress of malaria control activities in the region at the 2nd annual general assembly of the Southern Africa Regional Network. The assembly united governmental agencies from the represented countries with multilateral organizations, private sector, research organizations and donors to coordinate and budget for malaria control initiatives in the region.
More info on SARN Meeting
Gates stimulates innovation in the fight against malaria and other infectious diseases
31 March 2008 - The Gates Foundation calls for proposals for the first round of Grand Challenges Explorations, a US$100 million initiative to help scientists pursue innovative ideas for solving major global health problems.
Grant proposals are being accepted online until May 30, 2008
Distinguished Prize for Malaria
Tokyo, Japan, 26 March 2008 - The Government of Japan announced today its decision to award the inaugural Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prizes to Brian Greenwood, Professor of Clinical Tropical Medicine, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK, for his bold and innovative work on malaria and Miriam K. Were, co-founder and Health Specialist UZIMA Foundation, Kenya.
View the Press release
RBM welcomes US Senate Foreign Relations Committee approval of bill to increase funding against malaria
Washington DC, 13 March 2008 - The Roll Back Malaria Partnership Secretariat welcomes the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee approval of the "Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde Global Leadership on HIV/ AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008". The USD 50bn in approved spending is expected to include USD 5bn to fight malaria between 2009 and 2013 via bilateral programs and the Global Fund. The US funding will address the challenges of tackling malaria in high-burden areas, and allow improvements in program monitoring and evaluation.
View US Senate bill S. 2731
Discover the Roll Back Malaria Zambezi Expedition
On 29th March 2008, the Roll Back Malaria Zambezi Expedition launches into a two months voyage to showcase successes and highlight challenges associated with the fight against one of the globe's leading infectious killers. This unparalleled endeavor is made possible thanks to the six malaria endemic countries in the Zambezi region and a public private partnership effort. Visit the dedicated Zambezi Expedition website today to learn more.
View RBM Press Release [in English] [en français]
Visit Zambezi Expedition website
The Gates Foundation Grants 200 million To Malaria Research and Control Programs
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation recently awarded 13 new grants, totaling almost US $200 million, to help fight malaria. This new funding adds to the Foundation's existing portfolio of grants that support initiatives to strengthen existing malaria control programmes and to pursue a wide range of research on new strategies to prevent and treat the disease. Among these new grants:
- $42 million to the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine to identify ways to optimize delivery of artemisinin combination therapy
- $37 million to the Medicines for Malaria Venture to accelerate the development of effective, affordable malaria drugs
- $30 million to the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine to improve the control and treatment of malaria in pregnancy in Africa, Asia and Latin America
- $15 million to PATH for additional support to the Malaria Control and Evaluation Program in Africa (MACEPA)
- $9 million to the Seattle Biomedical Research Institute for research on a malaria vaccine for pregnant women
- $3 million to The Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) to study ways to prevent resistance to artemisinin
The Global Fund Opens its Eighth Funding Round
Last chance to request funding to reach 2010 Abuja targets
Geneva, March 3, 2008 - The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria today began accepting proposals for a new funding round. This year's Round 8 of proposals is the last chance for malaria-endemic countries in Africa to obtain funding for malaria control activities geared towards reaching the Abuja targets of halving the malaria burden in Africa by 2010.
The Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership will provide targeted support to African countries to develop their malaria proposals for Round 8, resolve funding bottlenecks and accelerate the process of channeling funds to malaria control programmes.
RBM Partnership is focusing on the countries that are most affected by the disease to help them prepare comprehensive needs assessments and business plans for scaling-up malaria control interventions. Nigeria and the DRC are targeted for rapid assistance as they suffer half of the mortality burden in Africa and are in urgent need of funding.
View The Global Fund Press Release
More info on Round 8
Non-profit and Private Companies Unite to Develop a Low-Cost Life-Saving Ingredient in Malaria Treatment
San Francisco, CA, Emeryville, CA & Paris, France, March 3, 2008 - The Institute for OneWorld Health (iOWH), a US-based nonprofit pharmaceutical company, together with synthetic biology innovator Amyris Biotechnologies, and leading pharmaceutical company Sanofi-aventis announced today that they have entered into an agreement for the development of semi-synthetic artemisinin, a key ingredient in first-line malaria treatments.
This collaboration aims to create a complementary source of non-seasonal, high-quality and affordable artemisinin to supplement the current botanical supply, thereby enabling millions of people infected with malaria to gain consistent access to lower-cost, life-saving artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs).
View iOWH Press Release
Partners Discuss Scaling-Up Net Delivery
Geneva, 22 February 2008 - Constituencies of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership reviewed this week results from campaigns delivering long lasting insecticide treated nets (LLINs) in malaria-endemic countries in 2007.
Presentations revealed sharp decreases in malaria cases and deaths across countries in Africa and Asia due to integrated bed net delivery - the practice of distributing protective bed nets during immunization campaigns such as measles and polio.
Reports showed that the delivery of almost 6.5 million nets during campaigns in 15 malaria-endemic countries helped avert an estimated 350,000 deaths over 3 years.
View/Download Agenda of the Meeting, List of Participants, Country Planning, Minutes of Discussions;
Meeting presentations: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23]
Download zip files: [Day 1], [Day 2]
Singer Jordin Sparks raises funds to fight malaria in Africa
Accra, Ghana, 19 February 2008 - Singer and American Idol Winner Jordin Sparks joined President and Mrs. Bush during their trip to Ghana to raise awareness of the devastating effects of malaria across Africa. Sparks helped raise $17 million last year for organizations working to protect African families from the deadly disease. One of these organizations, "Malaria No More" has distributed life-saving bed nets to more than 2 million mothers and children in Uganda, Angola. Madagascar, Mali and Zambia.
President Bush praised Sparks' contribution to the fight against malaria at a press event at the US Embassy in Ghana.
"We ask our fellow citizens to contribute to this worthy cause," he said to an audience moved by Sparks' soulful rendition of the US national anthem.
View MNM Press Release
The Fourth Meeting of the RBM Harmonization Working Group
Geneva, 18-19 February 2008 - Over 30 representatives of different constituencies of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership (RBM) convened today for the 4th meeting of the RBM Harmonization Working Group (HWG). The participants reviewed the progress made in 2007 and highlighted the key areas in which malaria-endemic countries would receive assistance in 2008.
Fifteen African governments will receive technical support by the RBM Partnership on preparing their Global Fund Round 8 malaria proposals in 2008. Countries, which were awarded Global Fund grants in 2007 will receive additional assistance in signing the grants and accessing the awarded funds.
The RBM Partnership will support 21 African countries to develop comprehensive needs assessments and business plans to scale-up malaria control interventions and achieve impact.
The RBM partners agreed to develop a system for identifying and clearing funding bottlenecks on country level.
The RBM Harmonisation Group convenes twice a year to exchange experiences, assess needs, detect gaps and harmonise planning towards RMB's targets for reducing the burden of malaria by 2010.
More info on the RBM Harmonization Working Group
RBM Partnership Welcomes New UN Malaria Envoy
Geneva, 14 February 2008 - Statement by Executive Director of the RBM Partnership, Professor Awa Marie Coll-Seck:
We applaud the Secretary General's announcement today of the appointment of Mr. Ray Chambers as the United Nations' Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Malaria. Never before has the fight against malaria enjoyed such a surge of attention and support and it is only fitting that an individual with the leadership and initiative of Mr Chambers be given the important and challenging task of promoting collective action toward ending malaria deaths.
View the full text of the Statement by Executive Director of the RBM Partnership
WHO Director-General: Statement about United Nations Secretary-General Special Envoy for Malaria
UN Department of Public Information: Biographical Note
Arusha Olyset Factory produces 10 million nets per year
Arusha, 8 February - Vice President Dr Ali Mohammed Shein presided over the dedication of the new Olyset Net factory in Arusha, Tanzania before an audience of distinguished guests. The new factory brings Olyset, a long-lasting insecticidal net (LLIN), production capacity in Arusha to 10 million nets per year. Over 3,200 jobs have been created in the venture. Roll Back Malaria Partnership Goodwill Ambassador Yvonne Chaka Chaka and Deputy Director Julian Fleet joined partners in welcoming this increase in capacity and the partnership that made it possible. "Long lasting insecticidal nets are a vital tool in the fight against malaria. We are delighted to see such a huge expansion of local production capacity in Tanzania and the creation of more jobs, especially for women," said Dr. Awa Marie Coll-Seck, Executive Director of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership. "The transfer of this technology to Africa four years ago has reaped tremendous results and shows how innovative partnerships can produce sustainable benefits for public health."
More info fromsumitomovector.com
Read the speech of Mr Fleet, RBM Deputy Executive Director
Implementation of Indoor Residual Spraying of Insecticides
for Malaria Control in the WHO African Region
8 February 2008 - The World Health Organization for Africa released the first regional report on the current status and implementation of indoor residual spraying (IRS). The report provides a detailed overview of countries' operations and achievements in terms of population coverage and issues recommendations for sound evidence-based IRS management.
View the Report
Health and Business Leaders Announce an Ambitious Malaria Control Effort to Save over 3 Million Lives in 5 Years
Davos, Switzerland, 25 January 2008 - 3.5 million lives could be spared and as much as $30 billion of annual economic output gained through a rapid scale-up of malaria prevention and treatment measures in the 30 hardest hit countries in Africa, reveals a new report released today at the World Economic Forum.
Bolstered by the findings of the report, leaders in the fight against malaria convene in Davos today to announce an accelerated 36-month effort to scale-up malaria control across sub-Saharan Africa. Mr. Gupta, chair of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, World Bank Group president Robert B. Zoellick, UNICEF executive director Ann Veneman, and Professor Awa Marie Coll-Seck, executive director of the RBM Partnership will discuss a mechanism for deploying the best practices in public health and the best ideas of the private sector in the fight against malaria.
Download the press release [in English], [en français] and full report from the web site of Malaria No More.
Malaria-endemic countries in Southern Africa prepare to embark on a life-saving voyage on the Zambezi River
Livingstone, Zambia, 21 January 2008 - Angola, Zambia, and Zimbabwe convened today to plan a life-saving expedition that will put the plight of malaria-stricken communities in the spotlight.
The 2-month expedition along the Zambezi River will raise awareness among both local communities and international donors of what is needed to fight malaria and help strengthen cross-border collaboration on malaria-related policies.
The Zambezi Expedition project, supported by 6 countries from the Southern African Development Community, has received financial backing from the nonprofit and the private sectors and will be steered by the Roll Back Malaria Partnership.
View More info