SPEECH BY AMMREN EXECUTIVE SECRETARY AT MALARIA FORUM IN ACCRA.

The theme for World Malaria Day is "Malaria - a disease without borders." The theme emphasizes the need for global collaboration in the fight against malaria, including the need for cross-border strategies, well-documented good practice and coordinated action at all levels - international, regional, national and local.

AMMREN decided to organize a Malaria Forum to bring journalists together and scientists to talk about malaria, a disease that can be prevented and treated and yet killing so many in Africa. The forum is meant to allow us to tell the malaria story. And the malarial story is that a small insect, the female anopheles mosquito with a very short life span, continues to cause havoc in our lives, spreading a parasite that is killing our children especially and retarding the progress of African countries.

AMMREN strongly believes that malaria can be eradicated if governments show the willingness to do so. It is a fact that a lot of efforts are being put in to manage the disease. But the fact that malaria continues to kill and causes the loss of precious man hours means that the existing efforts are not enough.

In 2000, African heads of state made a commitment;

to catalyze actions at regional level to ensure implementation, monitoring and management of Roll Back Malaria;
to initiate actions at country level to provide resources to facilitate realization of RBM objectives;
to work with partners towards stated targets, ensuring the allocation of necessary resources from private and public sectors and from non-governmental organizations; and
to create an enabling environment in their countries which will permit increased participation of international partners in malaria control actions.
to initiate appropriate and sustainable action to strengthen the health systems to ensure that by the year 2005:
at least 60% of those suffering from malaria have prompt access to, and are able to correctly use, affordable and appropriate treatment within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms,
at least 60% of those at risk of malaria, particularly children under five years of age and pregnant women, and benefit from the most suitable combination of personal and community protective measures such as insecticide treated mosquito nets and other interventions which are accessible and affordable to prevent infection and suffering, and
at least 60% of all pregnant women who are at risk of malaria, especially those in their first pregnancies, have access to chemoprophylaxis or presumptive intermittent treatment.

Nine years on, malaria continues to claim many lives in Africa. We are told that every 30 seconds, an African child dies of malaria.

This is unacceptable; it is time to take African governments on to honour their commitment. The media, as the commonest and easiest channel of engaging the public on topical issues and as the mouthpiece of the people, therefore has the mandate to demand this from African governments.

AMMREN is particularly interested in malaria research. This is because research findings enrich the planning process for effective health care. However over the years research findings have mostly remained on the shelves of laboratories. The public hardly gets informed about these findings and therefore tend not to benefit totally from investments made by governments in scientific research.

AMMREN seeks to bridge the gap between scientists and researchers by using the media to enhance public engagement.

What is AMMREN, one may ask? AMMREN is a network of journalists and scientists working towards the prevention and control of malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa. It was formed in November 2006.

The network creates a common platform for African journalists and scientists to work towards the eradication of malaria. Malaria is endemic in most parts of the continent and is the number one killer of children under five and a threat to national development. Nineteen print and electronic journalists from 9 African countries are the founding members of the network. It is our vision that the Network will become the leader in the provision of information for the prevention and control of malaria in Africa.

It is also AMMREN’s missionto promote malaria research communication in Africa through strengthening the capacity of African journalists

Our key objectives are; to disseminate timely accurate information on malaria control initiatives in Africa; to monitor and advocate the implementation of malaria policies in African countries; to advocate policy makers to implement international agreements on malaria; to build and or strengthen the capacity of African journalists to report effectively on malaria and to educate and inform stakeholders on the impact of malaria on the political and socio- economic development in Africa and to p romote discussions and debate on malaria menace in national and international forums with the aim of influencing policies on malaria in African countries

It is our long-term goal to develop the network into a leading Malaria Media Institute in Africa.

This year, we plan to organize a number of training programmes for our members. The first edition of our news magazine, “Eyes on Malaria” published and launched next month.

We want to thank our donors, namely, Indepth Network, Malaria clinical Trials Alliance(MCTA) and the Malaria Consortium as well as our partners, Kintampo Health Research Centre, the Dodowa Health Research Centre, The Dodowa District Health Service, and the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research

May I use the occasion to challenge African journalists to commit themselves to telling the malaria story of Africa. And to the scientists, I say, talk to us. On the part of African governments we all must say, “It is time to walk your talk”. No amount of talking will reduce the incidence of malaria unless governments decide to commit more resources to malaria prevention and eventual eradication.

And we thank the Malaria Consortium, Mozambique for braving the odds to join us for the celebrations and also supporting the Forum financially.

Happy World Malaria Day.

Thank you