2006 Working Group Highlights

Managed the process for the NGO Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Representative elections, and transferred the responsibilities held by CORE Group over the past 2.5 years to AMREF. CORE Group continues to manage the RBM NGO listserv and to support NGOs participation in RBM functions. CORE Group has been asked to facilitate a process through which the RBM NGO Constituency can tighten its governance structures and help enhance overall NGO participation.

Attended the five-day KeNAAM Fresh Air Workshop in Nairobi, Kenya, in July. NGOs, PVOs, and donors were represented by 88 participants. The theme of the meeting was Rolling Out ACTs in Kenya. At the end of the meeting participants left with a clear understanding of the new national drug policy, where ACTs were going to be available through the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Mission hospitals, and discussed the plans for advocating for ACT availability in the private sector.

Conducted a two-day workshop for NGOs in February to determine how NGOs could support the Angolan MOH to achieve its malaria targets. NGOs have been actively engaged with the USAID/Mission in preparation for the President's Malaria Initiative. Since the workshop, CORE Group PEI Angola has worked with the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) and USAID/Angola to follow up on mosquito net use post the IRC integrated measles and mosquito net campaign.

Partnered with the Christian Relief and Development Association and the CORE Group Polio Eradication Initiative/Ethiopia team to conduct a four-day national malaria workshop in March in Addis Ababa for over 80 NGO, Ministry of Health, and private sector partners. In addition to providing technical updates on current strategies for malaria control in Ethiopia, the workshop brought together NGOs and Regional Health Bureau staff, giving them an opportunity to share what they are currently doing and plan for collaborative activities in the future.

Continued to support NGO malaria secretariats in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. Each of the Secretariats, which are associations of local NGOs working on malaria issues, has begun to play a larger role in representing NGOs and linking NGOs to donors and policy forums. For example, the Tanzania NGO Alliance Against Malaria (TaNAAM) and the Malaria and Childhood Illness NGO Secretariat (MACIS) in Uganda are playing a key role in preparing for their respective countries' involvement in the Presidential Malaria Initiative. The Kenya NGO Alliance Against Malaria (KeNAAM) is active in Kenya's GFATM Country Coordinating Mechanism, the East Africa Regional Network for Roll Back Malaria (RBM), and the RBM Advocacy Task Force. The Zambia Malaria Foundation (ZMF) has partnered with Zambia's National Malaria Control Centre.

Secured funding through the Johns Hopkins University/VOICES project to work intensively with national NGO networks KeNAAM and Groupe Pivot to establish national, coordinated advocacy programs for malaria control and prevention in Kenya and Mali respectively in order to break down funding and policy barriers to reducing the burden of malaria. CORE Group is working through these national networks to develop coordinated national advocacy strategies, build capacity of malaria advocates, and implement targeted communications and mobilization efforts.

2005 Working Group Highlights:

• Supported three country-level NGO malaria secretariats in Africa -- the Kenya NGO Alliance Against Malaria (KeNAAM), Tanzania Alliance Against Malaria (TaNAAM), and the Uganda Malaria and Childhood Illness Secretariat (MACIS) -- to link PVOs/NGOs to donors and policy forums, and facilitate information sharing among network members.

• Served as elected NGO representative to the Roll Back Malaria Partnership Board through September 2005 after which CORE managed an election process for the next NGO representative, AMREF.

2004 Working Group Highlights:

Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership:
CORE serves as the elected NGO representative to the RBM Partnership Board and contributes to RBM strategies through mobilizing the NGO community. CORE sponsors an RBM listserve and participates in the RBM East Africa Regional Network, West Africa Regional Network and Central Africa Regional Network.

In 2004, the Malaria Working Group represented the NGO constituency in several RBM Partnership Board meetings and conference calls. In collaboration with the African Medical and Research Foundation, CORE convened an RBM NGO constituency meeting, which resulted in NGO Strategic Guidance for Involvement in RBM. The guidance was presented to the full RBM Partnership Board in September 2004.

Malaria NGO Secretariats:
In 2003 and 2004, the Malaria Working Group helped establish four national NGO malaria secretariats, in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. The secretariats support and inform national malaria prevention and control plans; coordinate strategic alliances; leverage resources for community-based efforts; and advocate for communities. A year after their inception, the secretariats have convened technical workshops and have assisted network members in drafting malaria program proposals.

Kenya: In 2004, the Kenya NGO/Private Sector Alliance Against Malaria (KeNAAM) successfully lobbied for the release of GFATM Round 2 and 4 funds in Kenya. Out of Round 2, eight Alliance members received funds, and out of Round 4, nine members received funds. GFATM funding will be used for distribution of mosquito nets, training of community health workers and public education. KeNAAM also linked with local networks of community-based and faith-based organizations to disseminate information about best practices in malaria prevention.

Tanzania: The Tanzania NGO Alliance Against Malaria (TaNAAM) provided technical assistance in one district to organizations participating in a Pilot Discount Voucher Scheme to purchase mosquito nets; vouchers are now offered in district health facilities. The Alliance also provided technical support to NGOs and partners working to scale up use of insecticide-treated nets to the national level.

The Alliance and its partners participated in a CORE qualitative methods and writing workshop, which yielded a field story titled Casting A Wide Net: How NGOs Promote Insecticide-Treated Bed Nets. The field story takes a journalistic approach to uncovering community perceptions and barriers related to use and purchase of mosquito nets.

Uganda: In 2004, the Malaria and Childhood Illness NGO Secretariat (MACIS) consolidated its role as an information conduit between the Ministry of Health and NGOs in Uganda. The secretariat serves as the NGO representative on the GFATM country coordinating mechanism board, and represents NGOs in several Ministry of Health technical working groups, including those for insecticide-treated bed nets; information, education and communication; and monitoring and evaluation.

Secretariat members participated in a CORE case study writing workshop, which produced a field story titled Bringing Down "Mosquito Fever": How NGOs Promote Home-Based Treatment of Malarial Fever in Uganda. In addition, CORE published a case study focusing on malaria case management activities implemented in Ssembabule District, Uganda, by Minnesota International Health Volunteers.

Zambia: In 2004, the Zambia Malaria Foundation (ZMF) became an independent, self-supporting, registered NGO in Zambia. The foundation conducted NGO mapping exercises in all nine provinces of Zambia, yielding a broad picture of where 135 NGOs are working and what they are doing to combat malaria. The exercise will be used to guide future program planning.

In collaboration with the American Red Cross, CORE produced a case study examining approaches used to launch an integrated campaign to distribute free, insecticide-treated mosquito nets and provide vitamin A and mebendazole during a measles campaign in Zambia.

Private Sector Partnerships:
In 2004, CORE collaborated with Bayer Environmental Science, which supported five Fresh Air Malaria Workshops and supported an event promoting long-lasting mosquito nets at the CORE fall meeting. BASF and GlaxoSmithKline have met with CORE members about future collaborative activities.

Rwanda Pilot Project:
CORE provided seed money to the International Rescue Committee, Concern Worldwide, and World Relief to conduct a baseline survey of three districts participating in pilot project for community distribution of anti-malarial medications in Rwanda. The Rwanda National Integrated Malaria Control Program is collaborating with the three NGOs to implement the program.

Fresh Air Malaria Workshops:
In 2004, CORE sponsored weeklong National Fresh Air Malaria Workshops in Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda and Sierra Leone. Workshop objectives include: mobilize NGOs to take collective action against malaria, advocate for stronger malaria programs, and disseminate tools and information on malaria programming at the community level.