Commemorating World Malaria Day

The Anglican Communion Joins NetsforLife® to Commemorate World Malaria Day 2013 Call to Action –

Invest in the Future, Defeat Malaria

On World Malaria Day, NetsforLife® recognizes the significant contribution of the Anglican Communion in the successful implementation of lifesaving interventions in communities in 17 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa over the past six years.

The Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa (CAPA), the platform of the Anglican Communion in Africa, has a vision of providing holistic ministry to all regardless of faith tradition and fulfilling God’s promise for abundant life. The partnership with NetsforLife^® has achieved significant milestones in all operational countries, with several lives being saved each day, and communities uniting to fight one common enemy--malaria. Rev Canon Grace Kaiso, General Secretary for CAPA, reflecting on this partnership notes with a deep sense of satisfaction says that “CAPA being a Christian entity is in the business of sustaining life, so this partnership enabled us to fulfill that objective by bringing healing and hope to families that otherwise would have been mourning for losing a family member to malaria.”

Since its inception in 2006, the NetsforLife® malaria prevention program has distributed a total of 11 million Long Lasting Insecticide treated bed Nets (LLINs) to the most vulnerable population in the society utilizing the power of the pulpit as a platform to inform and educate congregations on the need to protect themselves from malaria. Regular monitoring of net usage forms an integral part of NetsforLife® as they serve to change behaviors in their community.

In Ghana, through its local implementing partner the Anglican Diocesan Development and Relief organization (ADDRO), NetsforLife^® successfully implemented the first ever hang-up campaign in the Northern and Eastern region, together with other partners and the National Malaria Control Program. In one week, a total of about 550,000 nets were distributed and hung in the various sleeping places of beneficiaries through the help of 17,000 volunteers. This year, the organization will join the National Malaria Control Program to celebrate three years of successful nationwide hang-up distribution in the country. In Zambia, the program has distributed 1,778,928 nets, trained 4,482 Malaria Control Agents and sensitized 3,232,256 people through local partner, the Zambia Anglican Council.

It is often said that people meet God when the church extends a hand of help. The church is endowed with untapped abundance of resources, social and moral capital to deliver development and improve health, particularly in the most remote parts of the continent. Effective community sensitization and mobilization serves as the cornerstone of the NetsforLife® program. The church structure is used to attract, train and equip committed volunteers who are motivated by their faith to serve as Malaria Control Agents in their communities. Through this structure, 82,000 Malaria Control Agents have been trained to educate community members on the proper net use and maintenance of the net and when to seek early treatment for malaria symptoms.

NetsforLife® has an invaluable set of data and lessons learned around net use, symptom recognition, and barriers to treatment-seeking behavior dating back to the program’s inception. The success of the program is largely due to the committed work of local faith-based partners and community members, which has informed how we have course-corrected and scaled up to maintain and increase the program’s impact on malaria control year after year

Significantly, the NetsforLife® methodology of net distribution through a community-based, door-to-door approach and universal coverage strategy has influenced the national malaria policy of five countries. Many more countries have solicited the program’s input in country-wide nets distribution strategic planning, referencing evidence-based results from our monitoring and evaluation.

NetsforLife® and CAPA call on everyone to be part of history in fighting malaria by uniting across a broad range of faith-driven missions. The battle is not won until as a united force we make our voice heard in communities, international forums and decision-making platforms to draw attention to the need to “Invest in the future. Defeat malaria”. The church has a mandate to ensure the well-being of the people and it is the vision of this partnership to ensure that lives are saved.

Remarkable progress has been made in the fight against malaria, especially in Africa. According to the 2011 Roll Back Malaria report, malaria-related deaths have been reduced by one third, and countries are on track to achieving a near-zero death rate by 2015. However, the situation remains fragile as most of the gains made are at risk of being eroded if we do not keep up the momentum. Africa still bears the brunt of the disease, with over 660,000 people dying of the disease and a child losing his life every minute.

About NetsforLife®

NetsforLife® is a partnership of corporations, foundations and faith-based organizations working to eliminate malaria in Africa with its headquarters in New York and an Africa regional office in Ghana. The program partnership, which has benefited, directly and indirectly, more than 30 million people to date, includes ExxonMobil, Standard Chartered Bank, the Coca-Cola Africa Foundation, the JC Flowers Foundation, UMCOR and Episcopal Relief & Development. For more information, please visit www.netsforlifeafrica.org