Proposed Core Messages:

• Malaria is transmitted by mosquitoes
• The burden of malaria is greatest on pregnant women and children
• Malaria is a preventable and curable disease
• The proper early treatment of malaria will prevent severe forms of the disease
• There is a need for prevention and control of malaria in pregnant women and children at the community level
• Malaria can and should be properly managed starting from home
• Communities should seek prompt treatment for symptoms of malaria
• ITN's are invaluable in the prevention of malaria for the entire family but more so for pregnant women and young children
• In keeping with the Abuja Targets, that between now and 2005:
  • at least 60 percent of children affected by malaria should have access to rapid, adequate and affordable treatment
  • at least 60 per cent of those at risk, especially pregnant women and children under five, should benefit from the most appropriate combinations of personal and communal protection,
  • at least 60 per cent of pregnant women at risk, especially those at first pregnancy, should have access to intermittent preventive treatment

Suggested Community Level Activities

• Post posters at points of maximum visibility (maximum prominence at points of high human traffic of target groups, e.g. women, school children, youth groups)
• Adapt Public Service Announcements (PSAs) for locally produced promotional material (posters, newspaper supplements, etc,.) group discussions, workshops, school poems, essay and poster design competitions, etc,.
• Provide local posters, in local languages and using local context, and other promotional material. Inscribed car licence stickers, rulers, pencils, school exercise books, probably sponsored by partners, are an example.
• Organize poem, essay, drawing, poster design and other competitions in schools around core messages
• Launch creation of Roll Back Malaria clubs in schools
• Organize demonstrations on the treatment and re-treatment of nets at community meeting points
• Supply pre-packaged anti-malaria medication and ITNs, and ITN re-treatment kits, where available, to local communities
• Organize community level discussions to encourage the exchange of traditional knowledge on the causes, prevention and treatment of malaria
• Organize cross-sector discussions, workshops, seminars, around core messages, bringing together anti-malaria community members, teachers, women's groups, and other whose work could impact on malaria prevention and control
• Publicize materials provided by the country and regional offices, and WHO/AFRO and RBM Partnership Secretariat.

Advocacy

• Launch advocacy initiative aimed at:
  • Policies for the prevention and treatment of malaria in pregnant women and children
  • Removal of obstacles to the prevention and treatment of malaria in pregnant women and children
• Lobby for local government public pledge for support of above initiatives (e.g. reduction of taxes on ITNs, improved supply of drugs, increased resources for training of health workers)
• Lobby local government for increased resources to RBM activities using available opportunities

Media (focus on pregnant women and children)

• Supply press kits and appropriate background material to media, opinion leaders, health workers and other partners
• Arrange for innovative and creative use of radio and television broadcast of PSAs on local radio and television stations
• Stimulate community radio broadcasts based on core messages and PSAs
• Ensure news, feature and other in-depth coverage of AMD and malaria in both local print and electronic media in run-up AMD
• On 24 April, circulate WHO Director General and Regional Director's AMD 2003 messages, as well as those of national and local leaders, to local media, opinion leaders, health workers and partners
• On AMD, create media programme culminating in news conference led by highest profile leadership and backed by founding partners and local celebrities at which community, local and central governments recommit to scaling-up activity toward the attainment of the Abuja Targets. Redistribute RD's AMD message

Proposed AMD 2003 Support for Community Level Activities

• Provide promotional materials that include generic posters, PSAs, appropriate videos, postings on the Internet, computer screen savers and other innovative promotional materials
• Provide guidelines and advice on advocacy, media campaigns, and general mobilization for AMD

It should be recalled that the above are only guidelines and that national and community-level organizers of the commemoration of AMD 2003, knowing their constituencies best, are encouraged to be as innovative and creative as possible.