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Mobilize Against Malaria

Countries

Ghana, Kenya, Senegal

Programme Summary

Launched in 2007 by Pfizer, Mobilize Against Malaria is a five-year initiative in Kenya, Ghana, and Senegal that aims to engage and educate treatment providers and patients to improve the use and effectiveness of malaria treatment and patient adherence. Working in collaboration with implementing partners in each of the countries, the initiative focuses on training and building capacity, as well as providing grants, evaluation support, and technical expertise.

Communication Strategies

To lead the overall strategic effort and coordinate global monitoring and evaluation of the programmes, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine will work in partnership with Pfizer and with local evaluation and implementation partners to share lessons learned and best practices with other organisations addressing the malaria epidemic. Each programme in the three countries aims to reduce the rate of malaria morbidity and mortality by improving malaria symptom recognition, treatment, and referral through training activities and complementary community mobilisation campaigns to improve the quality of treatment and strengthen the demand for care.

In Ghana, the informal sector of Licensed Chemical Sellers (LCSs) includes over 7,000 retail outlets that are found in almost every community throughout the country. In rural areas with limited pharmacies and public health facilities, LCSs have become a major source of basic medicines for most Ghanaians. In partnership with Family Health International and Ghana Social Marketing Foundation, LCSs in selected districts will be comprehensively trained to promote effective malaria symptom recognition, proper treatment, and referral of acute cases. The programme will be evaluated by Health Partners Ghana.

In Senegal, Intrahealth will train community health workers and nurses serving in Tambacounda Region and document the benefits of malaria treatment messaging in the health system. Additionally, a complementary patient messaging programme aims to teach caretakers to recognise early symptoms of malaria, danger signs, and the need to seek appropriate treatment within 24 hours.

In Kenya,  Population Services International (PSI) has been selected to promote symptom recognition and treatment-seeking behaviours at the household level, with an emphasis on pregnant women and children under five, using antenatal clinics in western and coastal provinces as an entry point to these groups. The programme will advocate for a range of services through antenatal care clinics that are simple and are easy to incorporate within the existing health-care system. Great Lakes University will play an integral role in the training efforts. Evaluation by KEMRI/Wellcome Trust led by malaria researcher, Dr. Robert Snow, is planned.

Development Issues

Health.

Key Points

Partners

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust, Population Services International (PSI), Health Partners Ghana, Family Health International/Ghana Social Marketing Foundation (GSMF), Intrahealth International.

Contact

Imraan Munshi
Pfizer Spokesperson
Pfizer Inc
New York
10017
United States
Tel: + 1 212 733 6197

Source

PSI website on December 3 2007 and August 5 2009, and Pfizer Press Release on Business Wire, September 5 2007.


Placed on the Soul Beat Africa site December 03 2007
Last Updated August 07 2009



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