A significant commemoration event was the launch of the Africa Malaria Report, a joint World Health Organization and United Nations Childrens' Fund publication and the first comprehensive report on the state of malaria in Africa to be produced in the last decade. The Africa Malaria Report was launched in Nairobi Kenya, with simultaneous high profile events taking place in London and Washington.

Africa Malaria Day in Nairobi, Kenya

Launch of Africa Malaria Report and Live link to London:: Proposed Presidential launch of Africa Malaria Report will included addresses from
the Vice-President of Kenya, Michael Wamalwa;
Dr Samba, Africa Regional Director of WHO;
Dr Nick Alipui UNICEF Regional Director's Representative;
Dr Nafo-Traore, Executive Secretary Roll Back Malaria Partnership Secretariat.

Contact: Victor Chinyama, Communication Officer
UNICEF ESARO, P.O. Box 44145, Nairobi, Kenya
Office: + 254 2 622218
Mobile: + 254 2722 701 505
Fax: + 254 2 622851
E-mail: vchinyama@unicef.org

Africa Malaria Day in London, UK

Malaria Briefing, Live Link with Africa and Press Launch of Africa Malaria Report: The briefing included speakers from the Department for International Development (DfID), the World Health Organization (WHO) , The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), Ministry of Health of the Republic of Tanzania, Oxford University and the Roll Back Malaria Partnership Secretariat.

Contact: Sasha Blackburn
HMC, 2nd Floor, 16 Connaught Place
London, W2 2ES
Fax: + 44 207 964 8300
Tel: + 44 207 9 64 8570
Email: sasha@hmclondon.co.uk

Pru Smith, Roll Back Malaria
Partnership Secretariat
+41 22 791 4586
E-mail: smithp@who.int

Africa Malaria Day in Washington, USA

Press Launch of Africa Malaria Report and discussion of Malaria Supplement, American Journal of Tropical Medicine: On April 25 in Washington, D.C., in recognition of Africa Malaria Day 2003, international health and development institutions and partners in Roll Back Malaria commemorated efforts to lessen the burden of malaria, reviewed progress made towards the Abuja Goals, and launched the first Africa Malaria Report as well as a special malaria supplement to the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. The half-day programme, organized by the Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Agency for International Development, consisted of a launch ceremony followed by an information update and panel discussion. The information update focused on the Africa Malaria Report and findings from the western Kenya insecticide-treated bed net trial, a collaborative research effort involving the Kenya Medical Research Institute, the Centres for Disease Control, USAID and other partners.

Africa Malaria Day in the Southern Africa Region

Racing Against Malaria (RAM) Rally: This was be held during the whole of April 2003, and was an event that mobilises approximately 60 Southern African rally teams from the 10 National Malaria Control programmes in the region. The rally was launched in South Africa on April 7th 2003 and ended in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania on Africa Malaria Day itself, April 25th. The convoy stopped over in towns and villages en route to participate in events organised by the malaria program managers in the country they were travelling through.

Contact: Dr T Balfour
Communications Advisor, SADC
Tel: + 27 12 312 0901 / 0434
Fax: + 27 12 324 7616
E-mail: sehlar@health.gov.za