Mobilize Against Malaria

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.

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