AFRICA MALARIA DAY 2002
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES

It's never too early to start planning next year's activities. If you would like to join us and all the other RBM partners in celebrating the effort to Roll Back Malaria in Africa, we have come up with some suggestions of what you could do:

• Get the code

  Create a link on your website to the Africa Malaria Day site (use attached image link)
• Contact Minister of Health and other RBM partners to plan and implement joint activities.
• Contact local companies and ad agencies to coordinate activities to reach a wider audience and gain media attention.
• Issue press release on Africa Malaria Day and how your Organization is fighting malaria
• Use Africa Malaria Day to announce launch of local malaria control programs

Opportunities for the Private Sector

Also your Organization could organize and support

Africa Malaria Day Activities In the Community

• Arrange demonstrations of the use and re-treatment of bednets
• Arrange distributions of bednets and/or pre-packaged antimalarial drugs
• Hold awareness-raising activities in nearby hospitals and clinics - distribute bednets to patients, entertain children with local talent, etc.
• Encourage community group discussions to encourage sharing of culturally appropriate knowledge about the causes and treatment of malaria
• Lead local campaigns using community and folk media
• Encourage local drama groups to perform plays on malaria
• Hold exhibitions on the impacts of malaria in children and families
• Hold film shows on malaria
• Encourage information events at workplaces
• Hold community-wide fairs, festivals, parades; parties
• Organise competitions in local communities
• Hold awards ceremonies honouring community health workers; sponsor training programs for them; donate supplies or equipment
• Organise sporting events
• Organise poster exhibitions in banks, schools, civic centres
• Produce and distribute relevant communications packages targeted at community members such as opinion leaders and caregivers.

Africa Malaria Day Activities In Schools

• Launch competitions in schools on malaria related issues
• Organise role plays on malaria issues, written and performed by students
• Help establish RBM clubs in schools
• Develop board games on malaria
• Write comic strip books about malaria

Africa Malaria Day In Universities and Research Institutions

• Encourage round-table talks
• Organise scientific conferences
• Write special reports on malaria for magazines
• Organise University lectures on malaria
• Use AMD to launch new book/reports relating to malaria

Publicising Africa Malaria Day

• Produce and air radio/TV documentaries on community based malaria control activities
• Place ad or editorial in local newspapers and other publications
• Issue radio spots for Africa Malaria Day in local languages
• Hang banners and flags about prevention, treatment and cure
• Ask cafes and restaurants to distribute napkins with malaria information
• Supply leaflets, flyers, brochures, booklets
• Create malaria merchandise that can be distributed at community and country level
• Frank mail and packages with malaria awareness stamp

Although Africa Malaria Day is for only one day and a great deal of awareness about malaria can be raised on that day around the world, RBM partners are encouraged to develop year round activities using Africa Malaria Day to help kick off long lasting campaigns.