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VOICES for a Malaria-Free Future

Countries

Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique

Region

Global

Programme Summary

VOICES for a Malaria-Free Future is a worldwide advocacy programme aiming to engage new voices in calling for and working towards a malaria-free future for families in developing countries. Launched in July 2006 by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Communication Programs (CCP), this programme strives to educate policymakers about effective strategies for malaria control by highlighting successful programmes implemented through evidence-based decision-making. According to CCP, many governments already have appropriate malaria control policies in place, yet remain unable to effectively implement those policies. This inability ultimately limits household access to and use of prevention tools and treatment. Strategic advocacy from VOICES seeks to remove specific barriers to policy implementation by increasing the visibility of these barriers and motivating key decision-makers to take action to address them. As the targeted barriers are removed and malaria control systems improve, additional barriers to policy implementation may be identified and inform additional rounds of the advocacy cycle. By reaching out to donor agencies, government representatives, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), faith-based organisations (FBOs), and private sector organisations (among others), CCP highlights successful anti-malaria efforts (particularly those in Ghana, Kenya, Mali, and Mozambique) and evidence-based results through communication channels such as press releases, information and communication technologies (ICTs), and networking/partnership.

Communication Strategies

Partnership is a key strategy in this effort to increase malaria awareness on the part of as many groups as possible and to help facilitate close collaboration and coordination - thereby raising the volume on the need for more malaria funding and effective policy. CCP and its own partners work to build and sustain relationships 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. Advocacy efforts bring developing country spokespersons to the global stage to help make malaria a priority for opinion leaders, policymakers, and the media. VOICES advocacy promotes proven control strategies and increased research and development by using data to identify barriers and inform strategic approaches to advocacy.

Specific tools were used at the early stages of the campaign to inform and bring these groups together for action, including press releases and networking, but have expanded into awareness raising and advocacy tools (fact sheets, technical briefs, media and press kits, etc.) and trainings (training for journalists on malaria, as well as media training for spokespeople who are championing malaria on the global stage). Country field offices develop specialised approaches aimed at strengthening their respective leaders' commitment to addressing barriers. In addition, VOICES produces and disseminates materials based on lessons learned, successes, and case studies from developing country activities to enhance ongoing advocacy efforts and encourage new malaria advocates. Click here to access the VOICES for a Malaria-Free Future website.

Development Issues

Malaria, Child & Maternal Health, Overseas Development Aid, Community Empowerment, Transparency.

Key Points

CCP contends that, with increased attention directed toward malaria under the Global Fund, Roll Back Malaria and the President's Malaria Initiative, this is an opportune time to advocate for effective use of funds - to make sure that resources that are promised reach the people for whom they are intended. 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. According to CCP, while progress is being achieved and measured, many policymakers and opinion leaders are not fully aware of this progress. Voices for a Malaria-Free Future is an attempt to remedy that lack of knowledge, as well as to inform stakeholders about the importance of taking action to reduce policy barriers that prevent malaria control strategies from being properly implemented (an essential strategy for securing increased funding, according to CCP).

Partners

CCP, The CORE Group, The Malaria Consortium, Fleishman-Hillard, Project Management Institute
(PMI), World Bank, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Global Health Council, Friends of the Global Fight, Malaria No More, UN [United Nations] Foundation, Groupe Pivot Santé Publique (Mali), Communication Initiatives for Change (Ghana), Kenya NGO [non-governmental organisation] Alliance against Malaria (KENAAM, Kenya), Malaria Consortium (Mozambique). Supported by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Contact

Matt Lynch
Program Director, VOICES for a Malaria-Free Future
Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs

Global Program on Malaria
111 Market Place, Suite 310

Baltimore MD
21202
United States
Tel: 410 659 6300


Bonnie Gillespie
Advocacy Director, VOICES for a Malaria-Free Future
Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs (JHUCCP)

Global Program on Malaria
111 Market Place, Suite 310

Baltimore MD
21202
United States
Tel: 410 659 6300

Source

July 27 2006 Press Release Hopkins' CCP Launches New Advocacy Program to Promote Global Action on Malaria - forwarded by Kim Martin; email from Hannah Koenker to The Communication Initiative on August 23 2006; Roll Back Malaria Partnership E-update, December 7 2006; VOICES for a Malaria-Free Future website, April 17 2009; and email from Matt Lynch to The Communication Initiative on April 21 2009 (Image credit: MHallahan/Sumitomo Chemical - Olyset® Net).


Placed on the Communication Initiative site October 30 2006
Last Updated April 21 2009



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