London, March 19, 2013 (SSNA) — Last week, Malaria Consortium, the Republic of South Sudan Ministry of Health and other international partners signed the Malaria Programme Review, renewing their commitment to fighting malaria in the region.
The Review was an in-depth assessment of South Sudan’s current National Malaria Control Programme and aimed to assess goals, strategies and interventions in order to strengthen planning and resource mobilization for the scaling up of malaria prevention and control in South Sudan.
Beginning in March 2012 and lasting for 12 months, this Review comes at an important time as South Sudan continues to see increasing numbers of cases of malaria. The findings of the Review will be used to inform the development of the Malaria Strategic Plan for 2014 – 2018. Malaria Consortium are committed to supporting the Ministry of Health in this Strategic Plan.
Held in Juba and organised by the Minister of Health, Dr. Michael Milly Hussein, the ceremony was presided over by South Sudan’s Vice President, His Excellency Mr Riek Machar Teny, who also signed the agreement on behalf of the government.
Malaria Consortium’s Country Director, Ruth A. Allan said: “The Malaria Programme Review is a key milestone for the now independent Republic of South Sudan and provides an opportunity for an increased commitment to malaria control across the country. We are very happy to continue our support and strong partnership with the Ministry of Health as they move closer to fulfilling the Abuja commitments.”
The Ministry of Health National Malaria Control Program Manager Dr Harriet Pasquale thanked Malaria Consortium and other partners for their continued support and spoke of the Review “as a landmark in the re-orientation of the programme to effectively deal with malaria" and called on all partners to “join hands to aggressively eliminate malaria from South Sudan.”
Malaria accounts for 20 – 40 percent of all health facility visits in South Sudan, as well as 30 percent of all hospitals admissions. It is the leading cause of death in children under five.
Other international partners present at the signing renewed their support for the scaling up of malaria prevention and control activities through a comprehensive malaria control strategy, including the WHO, UNICEF, UNHCR, DFID, USAID, World Bank and PSI.
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Notes to Editors:
Malaria Consortium is one of the world’s leading non-profit organizations dedicated to the comprehensive control of malaria and other communicable diseases in Africa and Southeast Asia. Malaria Consortium works with communities, government and non-government agencies, academic institutions, and local and international organizations, developing sustainable systems and good evidence to support delivery of effective services. The organisation works at the interface between research and implementation, practice and policy, and health systems and disease control.
Link to news on website: http://www.malariaconsortium.org/news-centre/malaria-consortium-and-south-sudan-sign-landmark-malaria-programme-review.htm
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