Malaria Networking Workshop in Tanzania

By: Arsenic Manhice ( AMMREN Co-ordinator,Mozambique)

AMMREN Coordinators (journalists) from 10 African countries, scientists and other actors involved in the fight to eradicate malaria from Africa converged in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from June 9 to 11 to fashion out a five-year Strategic Plan to guide the network to effectively contribute to the eradication of the disease that kills children under five years and pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa
 
The Malaria Clinical Trial Alliance MCTA sponsored the Strategic Planning Workshop the climax of which was the launching of AMMREN’s news magazine, "Eyes on Malaria”.
 
The Country Coordinators representing Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Gabon, Senegal, Nigeria and Gambia had the opportunity to exchange ideas and share their experiences.

They were resolute in their determination to use the media as an important tool in the dissemination of accurate information for the prevention and treatment of malaria as well as ensure that the appropriate policy frameworks are put in place by leaders in the continent to prevent the unnecessary loss of life to malaria, which is preventable.
To this end, they maintained that it is important that journalists have similar guidelines, because the disease has the same form of effects in all African states.

Malaria accounts for the loss of more than 12 billion dollars, the equivalent of 300 million dollars gross domestic product every year in sub-Saharan Africa. Overall, there are at least 300 million episodes of malaria annually, resulting in more than one million deaths. About 90 percent of these deaths occur, especially among children aged less than five years and pregnant women.

In Mozambique, approximately 20 percent of pregnant women suffer from malaria, with women who are pregnant for the first time recording more cases with a prevalence of 31 percent.