3rd MEETING OF THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP TO
ROLL BACK MALARIA
2-3 rd February, 2000
FOUR MEETING TRACKS
In order to enable the large number of partners' representatives to have the maximum opportunity to interact with each other, and to pursue particular issues, we plan that there will be limited time in plenary sessions. Instead, we have proposed four distinct "tracks" in the meeting. As you read through the short descriptions please consider whether you have specific issues that you want considered within the four proposed tracks? If so, please let us know.
Which track will you follow? Using the form provided please indicate as soon as possible, which track you would like to follow. It is important that this form be faxed or emailed prior to the meeting.
Track A: Ensuring that the Global Roll Back Malaria partnership supports effective action in-country
In track A, participants will have the opportunity to join a facilitated discussion on how the partnerships structure - at global, regional and country level - can best support the expected RBM outcomes. In this track, participants could consider the proposal for a statement of the partnership's purpose. This is important in the light of increased political interest in malaria - to guide advocacy and help build consensus on RBM during in-country and regional discussions. There will be a major African Heads of State summit on malaria, hosted by President Obasanjo of Nigeria, April 24th and 25th 2000; other regional summits are expected later in the year. Participants will have the opportunity to review partners' current contributions to the functioning of RBM partnerships at country level: to consider which country partnerships are functioning very well, and which are less satisfactory; to explore reasons for differences and to consider how country partnerships can be made more effective.
In track A participants will also have the opportunity to build consensus on how partners can be made more effective at the global level, considering expectations of, and responsibilities of the members of the global partnership. They can examine whether there is a need for criteria for being an RBM partner, for more formal partnership arrangements, for principles for participation, and for communication between partners about intentions and reporting on progress. They will be able to review the role of the WHO RBM Cabinet Project in serving as secretariat to the partnership. Formal reviews of the role of Cabinet project in relation to WHO-wide contribution to Roll Back Malaria are undertaken by the WHO Cabinet and Executive Board. Investors in the Cabinet project will have a chance to assess the use of their contributions at the CDS cluster meeting of interested parties in June 2000
Track B: Consensus on Information in the Roll Back Malaria Partnership (Needs, Systems, Management and Use)
In track B, participants will be invited to consider information needs within the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, systems through which information can be obtained and shared, the synthesis of information and the ways in which the information can best be used. The global partnership will need continuously to make decisions on targets, interventions, processes and resources as it evolves. Information is therefore critical to empower the global partnership with evidence for such decision making and accountability. This facilitated discussion will inform the ongoing process to establish consensus and partners' working methods. It will provide an opportunity for reviewing the proposed framework for monitoring and evaluating partners' Roll Back Malaria efforts, and for formats developed for tracking country progress
Track C: Partnership support to address Technical Needs in countries
In track C, participants will be offered a briefing, led by WHO, on critical technical issues for malaria control within the context of health sector development. The following issues could be explored (participants will be invited to give advance notice of subjects on which briefing and discussion would be useful): (i) Drug resistance monitoring, and drug policy, (ii) Access to and quality of antimalarial drugs, (iii) Access to early diagnosis, (iv) Improved clinical management, (v) malaria prevention (vi) Monitoring of resistance to pyrethroids, (vii) Reducing the reliance on DDT in malaria control, (viii) Methods for the targeting of interventions to high risk areas, households and population groups, (viv) Early detection of epidemics and preparedness for epidemic control, (ix) Surveillance and information management as a decision-support system
Participants will also be able to discuss means by which the capacity to address these technical issues can best be developed within countries. There would be an opportunity for different partners to indicate how they are contributing to this capacity development, and to propose ways in which this support can be made maximally effective (e.g. through regional, sub-regional or national level networks of technical experts, capacity development initiatives). Participants could, within this track, hear of progress with the implementation of technical support networks in critical areas (such as complex emergencies, mapping malaria risk or insecticide treated materials). Time permitting, briefing could be provided on recent technical advances.
Thought could be given to areas in which research is now being intensified, and the potential role of new products in hastening the successful implementation of action to Roll Back Malaria.
Track D: Moving to Scale - Meeting the Challenge of Halving the Malaria Burden in the Next Ten Years
Track D will focus on the challenges of massively increasing access to means for preventing malaria infection, and for the prompt diagnosis and effective treatment of persons with malaria. With this track, issues to be examined will include the channels through which people can be better enabled to access interventions, covering home or community-based possibilities, means for ensuring provision of effective RBM action through private practitioners, options for effective inter-sectoral action.
Track D will consider the options for catalysing movements of many players to make current tools more widely available in a sustainable manner, through health sector development and inter-sectoral collaboration. Participants will have the opportunity to examine where we are now, where we can get in 2-3 years, and how to scale up existing actions. A particular issue for some participants is the way in which actions can be scaled up within the context of sector-wide development assistance programming and financing.