International
Malaria
ONE urges donors to fully fund the Global Fund and GAVI
Donors have just met in The Hague to discuss the impacts, efficacy, and future resource needs for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (the Global Fund) and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations (GAVI).
ONE has long championed the transformational impact these mechanisms have had. Both the Global Fund and GAVI are even more critical now, as we enter the last stretch to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) deadline; if the Global Fund and GAVI are not fully financed during the next three years – the period covered by the Fund’s replenishment cycle—the MDGs will not be met and the mechanisms will be unable to scale up their life-saving work.
“We know these mechanisms are effective and cost-effective,” said Josh Lozman, ONE’s Chief of Staff and Senior Global Health Policy Advisor. “Only if they are fully financed between now and 2015 can we eliminate malaria as a major public health problem in the world, ensure no child is born with HIV, and prevent more than 4.2 million future child deaths through vaccination. In spite of the economic climate, investments in these mechanisms will allow us to achieve major milestones in global health.”
Both mechanisms have achieved impressive results through their partnership together and with donors, recipient countries, and civil society:
- Global Fund-supported programs save an estimated 3,600 lives every day. The Global Fund supports anti-retroviral drugs for HIV/AIDS for 2.5 million people, treatment for tuberculosis for 6 million people, and bed nets to prevent malaria for 104 million people.
- GAVI-supported work has averted an estimated 5.4 million deaths by vaccinating more than 257 million children.
The Global Fund will hold a pledging conference in October 2010 during which donors will commit to funding levels for the next three years; GAVI’s funding will be decided through annual budget processes in donor countries. Full funding of these two mechanisms is one of ONE’s top priorities and will be the focus of campaigning efforts during this year.
Rolling Back Malaria
Here’s a cross-post from our partners at UNICEF
At a New York City reception last week, UNICEF Executive Director Ann Veneman and key members of the Roll Back Malaria team joined together to applaud a new UN General Assembly resolution on the killer disease.
Roll Back Malaria is a worldwide public-private partnership created in 1998 by the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Development Programme, UNICEF and the World Bank.
Adopted by consensus last Monday, December 7, the UN resolution urges the international community—together with UN agencies, the public and private sectors, and foundations—to support implementation of Roll Back Malaria’s Global Malaria Action Plan. It calls on donors to step up funding for anti-malaria efforts and for affected countries to strengthen their national policies.
“In adopting this resolution, Member States, including donors and endemic countries, have reaffirmed their commitment to combat malaria,” said Hervé Verhoosel, the External Relations Manager for Roll Back Malaria in New York. “Malaria kills about 900,000 people a year, but most of those deaths could be avoided with the right mix of prevention and treatment.”
At the event, Verhoosel also introduced United Against Malaria, a campaign to engage and mobilize football fans around the world. The 2010 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in South Africa, provides an opportunity to build support for the 2010 target of universal access to mosquito nets and malaria treatment in Africa—a crucial first step toward the Millennium Development Goal of reducing malaria deaths to near zero by 2015.
“United Against Malaria aims to reach out to children in a language they will understand: sport. If a football player says to sleep under a bed net, the chances are greater that a child will do so,” said Verhoosel.
“Time and again we hear that basic health is essential to economic prosperity,” said UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha Rose Migiro. “Yet countless poor people continue to suffer and die from diseases that can be prevented or treated. Malaria is a case in point. Together, we can help save lives in every endemic country and community. We have momentum, let’s keep going forward.”
-Amy Bennett, Assignment Editor, UNICEF
Progress in the fight against malaria
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that greater financial support is helping to achieve significant progress in the fight against malaria, noting that over one third of endemic countries have reported more than a 50 percent decline in malaria cases since 2000.
Yesterday, the WHO released its 2009 World Malaria Report, providing the most recent information on the status of the malaria epidemic and highlighting progress toward global malaria targets.
Funding to combat malaria has jumped from $0.3 billion in 2003 to $1.7 billion in 2007. This surge in resources has contributed to impressive progress on the ground: 140 million long-lasting insecticidal nets were delivered to high-burden African countries from 2006 to 2008, use of effective malaria medicine is on the rise compared to 2006, and 31 percent of African households were estimated to own at least one insecticide-treated net in 2008 compared to 17 percent in 2006.
Significant reduction in child malaria deaths could help some African countries, like Sao Tome and Principe, Zanzibar and Zambia, to reach the 2015 MDG goal of a two-thirds reduction in child mortality.
However, this progress is not enough. Africa’s 31 percent insecticide-treated net coverage is still well below the World Health Assembly (WHA) target of 80 percent household coverage by 2010, and only 15 percent of children with a fever in malaria-endemic country received malaria medicines, compared to the WHO’s target of 80 percent. The report also notes that $5 billion will be required annually until 2015 to scale-up and sustain global malaria control and elimination, and funding needs to give greater attention to larger endemic countries rather than smaller countries with lower disease burdens.
Malaria still claims the lives of 863,000 people every year (Africa accounts for 89 percent of these deaths), but this number is down from 881,000 in 2006. The drop is primarily attributed to fewer deaths in Africa among children under 5.
To learn more, read the full report here.
Global Fund announces largest single malaria initiative in history
Today, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the Federal Ministry of Health of Nigeria announced the largest single malaria initiative ever signed by the Global Fund, which will provide the resources for 30 million bed-nets in Nigeria. Each year, there are approximately 57 million cases of malaria in Nigeria, causing an estimated 225,000 deaths annually.
As part of its efforts to eliminate malaria, Nigeria aims to place two bed nets in every household in the country by distributing 62 million bed nets by December 2010. Global Fund grants will provide half of this total. Other contributors include: the World Bank, DFiD, USAID, UNITAID, UNICEF and the Nigerian government.
“I am extremely pleased that our partnership with Nigeria continues to grow: it shows Nigeria’s strong commitment to fight malaria, and strengthens our relationship since Nigeria is also a Global Fund donor,” said Professor Michel Kazatchkine, Executive Director of the Global Fund. “Nigeria is showing why reaching global targets for malaria is no longer fanciful but something that can actually be achieved,” he said.
The malaria grants signed today amount to US$ 285 million over two years. The Global Fund used a flexible approach by signing, in July 2009, an interim agreement to allow for the timely distribution of 3.4 millions bed nets, which have just arrived in country in time for the mass distribution campaign planned for December this year. Two other grants were also signed, one for tuberculosis for US$40 million and one for Health Systems Strengthening for US$55 million.
United Against Malaria kicks off in UK
A new campaign to combat malaria is launching in the UK today – and ONE is part of it. United Against Malaria brings us together with Comic Relief and Malaria No More as well as a team of football stars, celebrities, foundations and corporations. The campaign is setting its sights on the FIFA World Cup next July and the goal is for everyone in Africa to have access to mosquito nets and malaria nets by 2010.
We’ve chosen today to start talking about the campaign as it’s the day that the England football team play Croatia in a World Cup qualifying match. There will be a more formal launch in November.
-Helen Palmer
Discoveries: New Strain of HIV and Origins of Malaria
The month of August has seen two important scientific discoveries, including a new strain of HIV found in humans, and the identification of malaria’s origins.
As reported in the weekly journal Nature Medicine, scientists have discovered a new strain of HIV (the virus that causes AIDS), and have linked its origins to gorillas. The other three known variants of HIV have all been linked to chimpanzees. Scientists believe the new virus was probably transmitted from gorillas to humans through the handling or eating of ape meat, though it could have been transmitted from chimpanzees to gorillas, and then to humans (or directly to humans and then gorillas).
Additionally, research on malaria’s origins by a team of scientists was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Researchers identified chimpanzees as the source of the P. falciparum malaria parasite which entered the human population approximately 10,000 years ago via mosquitoes. Researchers emphasized the importance of understanding the origin and genetic behavior of pathogens like malaria, especially when trying to create a vaccine.
These discoveries are part of the continuous effort to monitor how viruses and parasites jump from species to species and emerge in human populations. If emerging infectious diseases are detected early enough, hopefully pandemics can be prevented.
-Rena Pacheco-Theard
One World Against Malaria Summit: Interfaith Action
What do Quincy Jones, UN Ambassador Dr. Susan Rice, the Sultan of Sokoto, Nigeria, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Nigeria, Rabbi David Saperstein, ExxonMobil, Tony Blair Faith Foundation, the First Ladies of Cape Verde and Mozambique, and 8-year old 
They are all acting together in the fight against malaria in sub-Saharan Africa.
Friday, I attended the “One World Against Malaria Summit” and heard from each of these leaders who are acting together to end malaria deaths by 2015. Presented by the UN Center for Interfaith Action on Global Poverty (CIFA), the event was the first of its kind, bringing together diverse actors from the worlds of faith, government, NGOs, the arts, and business. The event was led by UN Special Envoy Ray Chambers, and Ed Scott, Chairman of CIFA and one of the founders of DATA.
We can beat malaria. Bed nets to protect against malaria cost only $10 – and they provide “a night of sleeping in paradise,” as one attendee of the event described. Yet, it is estimated that 900,000 people around the world die each year from malaria – 85% of those are children under 5 in Africa. Yesterday’s event outlined the urgent, yet achievable goal of ending malaria deaths by 2015.
In a key-note address, Dr. Susan Rice, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, underscored the role of US leadership in ending malaria deaths, offering that it was in “American interests and American values.” She went on to highlighted President Barack Obama’s commitment to the fight through the President’s Malaria Initiative and its $1.2 billion dollar 5-year expansion.
One World Against Malaria Summit: Interfaith Action
What do Quincy Jones, UN Ambassador Dr. Susan Rice, the Sultan of Sokoto, Nigeria, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Nigeria, Rabbi David Saperstein, ExxonMobil, Tony Blair Faith Foundation, the First Ladies of Cape Verde and Mozambique, and 8-year old
They are all acting together in the fight against malaria in sub-Saharan Africa.
Friday, I attended the “One World Against Malaria Summit” and heard from each of these leaders who are acting together to end malaria deaths by 2015. Presented by the UN Center for Interfaith Action on Global Poverty (CIFA), the event was the first of its kind, bringing together diverse actors from the worlds of faith, government, NGOs, the arts, and business. The event was led by UN Special Envoy Ray Chambers, and Ed Scott, Chairman of CIFA and one of the founders of DATA.
We can beat malaria. Bed nets to protect against malaria cost only $10 – and they provide “a night of sleeping in paradise,” as one attendee of the event described. Yet, it is estimated that 900,000 people around the world die each year from malaria – 85% of those are children under 5 in Africa. Yesterday’s event outlined the urgent, yet achievable goal of ending malaria deaths by 2015.
In a key-note address, Dr. Susan Rice, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, underscored the role of US leadership in ending malaria deaths, offering that it was in “American interests and American values.” She went on to highlighted President Barack Obama’s commitment to the fight through the President’s Malaria Initiative and its $1.2 billion dollar 5-year expansion.
Preparing for Vaccines: African Scientists Speak Out
The PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative created a video that highlights the need to start preparing now for a malaria vaccine. African scientists share their thoughts on the science behind malaria vaccine development and the need to link research with policy to speed decisionmaking and ultimately, getting medicines to those in need.
-Lisa K. Fleisher
Malaria’s Greatest Fears
Let’s get hypothetical. If you were to make a list of malaria’s greatest fears, what would you include?
Topping my list would be Rwanda, which in the last three years decreased the reported incidence of malaria by 60% — and there’s nothing hypothetical about that.
Thursday, I had the opportunity to attend the Global Health Council’s congressional briefing on Rwanda’s fight against malaria. Through an incredible integration of prevention, treatment, mosquito control, and health system strengthening, Rwanda decreased cases of malaria reported in public clinics from 1.7 million in 2005 to 700,000 in 2008! How did Rwanda do it?
To begin, Rwanda implemented the common system of community health workers in a unique and effective way. Instead of having the community health workers act as an extension of individual NGOs or other charitable organizations, they are an official piece of Rwanda’s health system. Rwanda’s community health workers are elected by their community, hired by the government, and are therefore accountable to both. They are the backbone of Rwanda’s progress in eradicating malaria, and the numbers back this up.
In 2005, only 1 in 10 high-risk households had a bed net. In 2008, after the distribution and usage follow-ups by the community health workers, this number rose to 6 in 10. In addition, 9 out of 10 fevers are treated within the first 24 hours and 9 out of 10 high-risk households are sprayed with pesticide. Both the treatment and spraying are done by the community health workers. Couple the work in the field with a government that is extremely results-oriented and tough on corruption, it is no surprise that Rwanda is winning the fight against this preventable disease.
Though there are definitely factors still to be confronted, the largest being tackling malaria not just in Rwanda but the region as a whole, the foundation is laid and the enthusiasm is there. In a region where it is easy to focus on the challenges, it is refreshing to hear a positive story.
-Ian McGroarty, ONE’s US Field Team Intern
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About the Blog
The International ONE Blog is a daily log of the anti-poverty movement. The site is operated by ONE staff, with guest contributions from ONE volunteers, members and allies.
The content of each post and each comment represents the views of that author and does not necessarily reflect the views of ONE. ONE does not support or oppose any candidate for elected office, and any post expressing support or opposition for a candidate is not endorsed by ONE.
TAGS: GAVI, Global Fund, HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Spotlight, Tuberculosis