Tanzania to host 2nd Global Malaria Action Plan

By David Kisanga

Ifakara Health Institute (IHI)

Tanzania has been selected to host the second Global Malaria Action Plan (GMAP2) meeting owing to her long experience and progress made in controlling malaria in the mainland and moving towards elimination in the Isles.

 

The meeting which is expected to take place this week will cover the period of 2016 to 2030 and is being organised by the Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) and Roll Back Malaria.

 

A statement availed to The Guardian by IHI yesterday said the meeting is a part of preparations for the development of the next iteration of the Global Malaria Action Plan. 

 

Helen Prytherch, one of the consultants working to develop the GMAP2 for the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) partnership said one of the regional consultations has already been held and some preliminary findings that should be included in the GMAP2 document have emerged.

 

She said in order to validate the preliminary findings and ensure that the GMAP2 is aligned with country realities, a series of country consultations are being arranged.

 

“The purpose of the country consultations is to engage stakeholders at a country level in the GMAP2 development process. Ideas and feedback gathered during the consultation will ensure that GMAP2 is in line with the country’s realities,” she explained.

 

Prytherch said the country consultations will be highly participatory events that promote dialogue between stakeholder groups to share their needs and identify opportunities for further collaboration.

 

Prytherch mentioned some of the people who will attend the meeting as the Deputy Executive Director of a Geneva based RBM Secretariat, Dr Thomas Teuscher who in that intent after the Country Consultation, the stakeholders will continue to leverage the discussions.

 

According to her, participants will include senior officials from the ministries of Health and Social Welfare, Lands, Housing and Human Settlements, Water, Local Government and Regional Administration, Vice President’s Office (Environment), researchers, NGOs as well as other renowned players in the fight against malaria. 

 

Prytherch underscored that the GMAP2 will demonstrate how a context-tailored ‘business case’ can be made for malaria reduction and elimination at regional and country level.

 

She further said the GMAP2 will underline how action at all levels can be accelerated by overcoming bottlenecks, optimising alignment, fostering accountability and creating a social movement for a malaria-free world.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN