Africa Malaria Day 2001
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Countries and agencies across Africa are at various stages of plan-
ning for the first Africa Malaria Day on April 25th 2001. The Abuja
Declaration and Plan of Action, April 2000, called for an annual Af-
rica Malaria Day. The Roll-Back-Malaria (RBM) Secretariat at WHO HQ
is promoting a focus on insecticide treated mosquito nets (ITNs) for
campaigns to be launched on the first Africa Malaria Day in line with
RBM and Abuja priorities and targets.
Two Aims for Africa Malaria Day:
* Accelerate the RBM partnership - particularly in Africa
* Promote a massive scale-up of ITN use within Africa
Three Objectives for Africa Malaria Day:
* To encourage wider action to tackle malaria
* To encourage more countries to act on commitments to reduce or
waive taxes and tariffs for ITNs, insecticides and anti-malarial
drugs
* To increase innovative ways of getting more affordable ITNs into
African communities and encourage more African households to invest
in ITNs
Four Elements to Africa Malaria Day
* Research
Report on countries progress - particularly with taxes and tariffs
legislation
* Campaign
RBM sports champions to encourage more use of ITNs
* Site visit
High profile 'site visit' with DG and RD to a successful ITN project
* Launch
Co-ordination and support for main event in Nigeria and several re-
gional events - including Ethiopia, Mozambique and Senegal.
Encouraging action at country level
An RBM Advocacy Guide, which includes a focus on Africa Malaria Day
and suggestions for country level activity, will be distributed to
RBM partners in January 2001. WHO in-country information officers
will be encouraged to work with their National Olympic Committees and
make use of their national athletes and sports stars for Africa Ma-
laria Day and on-going publicity.
Africa Malaria Day Action Pack
An action pack will be developed with facts sheets, FAQs, press re-
leases and statements and published on the RBM Website to encourage
all RBM partners to get involved in country level activity. Printed
copies will also be available.
For any further information please contact
Andy Seale
RBM Secretariat - WHO Geneva
Tel: +41-22-791-3670
mailto:sealea@who.int.
Information will also be made available on the RBM Websites:
http://www.rbm.who.int/
or
http://www.who.int/rbm/
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