Africa Malaria Day 2003 in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Seven countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region are geographically located in the African continent, namely: Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Somalia and Djibouti. Only three out of those 7 countries, namely Sudan, Somalia and Djibouti are characterized by intense malaria transmission and shoulder a burden of 95% of the malaria cases in the entire Region.

Africa Malaria Day represents an annual opportunity for those countries and others to plan high-profile events that highlight the urgency for more technical and financial support from policy makers, donors and organizations as well as capturing mass media attention and mobilizing communities to Roll Back Malaria.

AMD 2003 was marked in 3 African countries of Region with a variety of activities designed to raise awareness and support. In Khartoum, Sudan, nationals and RBM partners participated in the commemoration of the AMD 2003 on 24th of April 2003. The event included the launch of the Africa Malaria Report and was attended by the First Vice President, the Federal Minister of Health, a number of State Ministers of Health, representatives from UN organizations like WHO and UNICEF as well as Non-governmental organizations, partners, donors, media representatives and other public figures. In addition to key speeches and the launching of the report to the media and to key technical people, there were also several exhibitions focusing on malaria prevention and control.

And, because this year's global theme revolved around insecticide-treated bed nets and effective malaria treatment for pregnant women and young children by 2005, Sudan made use of the opportunity to develop a national ITN strategic plan to scale-up their use at national level. An exhibition and a relevant technical seminar took place on 25 and 26th April in Khartoum. The exhibition consisted on display of bed nets, larvivorous-fish tanks, educational posters, pharmaceutical company's products, and school-kids' artworks taken from the Khartoum Malaria-Free Initiative school competition.

Africa Malaria Day was also celebrated nationally in El Damazin on 27th April. A delegation from WHO/EMRO and WHO/HQ participated in the event.

On 23rd of April 2003, a seminar was organized for dissemination of useful information about Malaria to the general population especially women in Djibouti. Advocacy material in French were printed and distributed to the participants during the seminar. The material produced included a printed flyer, posters and T-shirts. National newspapers were also eager to run complete coverage of the event that took place to mark AMD in Djibouti.

In Morocco, a locally created slogan for the AMD campaign was used instead of the global one to go in line with the national objectives of the campaign, the slogan chosen was: "Promotion of the inter-sectorial collaboration in order to support malaria elimination strategy". A national meeting was held on 29th of April in Chefchaouen where major political figures, technical doctors working the field of communicable diseases including RBM national programme manager, community leaders and representatives from the national press gathered to mark AMD 2003. Lectures about the Malaria situation in Morocco were given to the attendees. Information about Malaria modes of transmission and prevention of re-introduction strategies were also part of the event's agenda.