Issue No 2 April 2000

WELCOME

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to the second news bulletin on the African Summit on Roll Back Malaria. Since I last wrote to you much has happened, not only in Nigeria, where plans are well advanced for the Summit, but also in the rest of Africa and also in Europe as the countdown to the Summit continues.

The Roll Back Malaria teams in Harare, Alexandria, Lagos, Abuja, Johannesburg, Geneva, London and Washington hope you find this bulletin both interesting and informative. Most of all we hope it conveys our excitement at the historic event now just a matter of days away.

The Summit Secretariat is now operational at the Hilton Hotel in Abuja and the staff there will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

With best wishes,

Dr David Nabarro
Executive Director
Office of the Director General, WHO Geneva

GOVERNMENT GUESTS…

Many African leaders responding to the malaria challenge will be in Abuja. At the time of writing 18 countries have agreed to attend the Summit and new acceptances are coming in to the Summit Secretariat every day. The United Kingdom's Secretary of State for International Development Clare Short will attend as will the Honourable Maria Minna, Minister for International Cooperation of Canada.

… AND AGENCIES ATTENDING

UNICEF's Executive Director, Carol Bellamy has accepted President Obasanjo's invitation to the African Summit. She will be joined by other agency leaders including the Director General of WHO, Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, UNDP Administrator Mark Malloch Brown and Director General of UNESCO Koichiro Matsuura.

Roll Back Malaria partners will be present at the Summit. The World Bank will be represented by the Vice President of Human Development, Mr. Eduardo Doryan. The President of the African Development Bank Mr Shabbaj will also attend to reinforce one of the Summit’s key messages — the economic impact of malaria on the development of Africa.

BIG, BIG NET

An exciting media event is scheduled to take place in Abuja on 18^th April to draw attention to the Summit and one of its main messages.

A group of 225 Nigerian school children will lie under a giant bednet — 225 times larger than the standard insecticide treated nets used to protect against malaria — in an attempt to set a world record.

The bednet measures a massive 20 metres by 20 metres and three metres high. So far there is no record for the largest bednet. Usually bednets are made to cover the area above a standard double bed. An ordinary net will be positioned next to the record-breaking giant. Guinness World Records will be on hand to validate the attempt.

The event, in Abuja, takes place exactly one week before African Heads of State meet there for the first-ever Summit on malaria. Nigeria's First Lady Chief Mrs Stella Obasanjo has been invited to lead the ceremony. It will also act as a reminder that 225 African children die of malaria every two and a half hours.

PRIVATE SECTOR

A meeting to encourage private sector involvement in the implementation of RBM in Nigeria is being hosted by the local UNICEF office set in Abuja on 19 ^th April.

RBM IN THE AIR

The very next day after the African Summit on Roll Back Malaria another important meeting — the United Nations Education Summit — gets underway in Dakar, Senegal. In order to make transfers from Abuja to Dakar as smooth as possible, a specially chartered aircraft will be available.

The flight will leave Abuja at 10 p.m. on Tuesday 25 th April, arriving in Dakar at 01.00 Wednesday morning. This allows our guests to be in Dakar in time for the opening of the Education Summit.

If you wish to take advantage of this direct connection, there are still remaining seats. Cost is US$ 900 for a first class seat and US$ 600 for an economy fare. Please contact Obi Nwaorgu or Norma Johnston at the Summit Secretariat on +234 9 523 9125; +234 9 523 0225 or +413 1811/40. A table will be set up at the Nicon Hilton during the Summit. Reservations can be confirmed or made at that time. Payment by cash or travellers check will be made at that time.

Please note that Senegal is one hour ahead of Nigeria.

DECLARATION OF INTENT

A draft of the Declaration to be agreed by attending Heads of State or their representative has already been sent to those who have indicated that they will be attending. The four-page document and its accompanying Plan of Action are vital reading for all attendees.

For those with a technical interest in the Summit's content, an invaluable Working Document has been produced by the Summit's Technical Sub Committee.

FULL PROGRAMME

Another item in the delegate pack is the programme for the Summit on 25^th April and also for the Technical Meeting on 24^th April. The Technical Sub Committee meeting on the 24^th April is to be attended by African Ministers of Health.

An outline for the 25^th is given below. A full programme will be available by 14^th April from the Summit Secretariat.

25^th April programme

8:30 a.m.     Summit welcome: African dancers and musicians
9:00 a.m.     Arrival of Heads of State
9:30 a.m.     Introduction by the Nigerian Honourable Minister of Health Dr Tim Monakaya
9:40 a.m.     Economic Impact of Malaria — Jeff Sachs, Harvard economist
9:50 a.m.     Video Presentations — African villagers appeal to Heads of State
10:15 a.m.     Speeches by Regional Director WHO/AFRO, Director General WHO, Secretary General OAU and His Excellency the President of Nigeria
3:00 p.m.     Presentations by donor countries and international agencies
4:15 p.m.     Reading and Signing of Declaration
5:15 p.m.     Closing remarks
5.25 p.m.     Press Conference and interviews

ON ARRIVAL

A warm Nigerian welcome awaits you on arrival at Nnamdi Azikiw International Airport in Abuja. Transport will be provided to take participants to the hotels in Abuja which are a 30-minute drive from the airport.

GALA EVENING

After a hard day's work a state gala dinner is to be hosted by His Excellency President Olusegun Obasanjo at Abuja's Sheraton Hotel and Towers. Cultural displays and music from the Brigade of Guards will get the evening off to a flying start at approximately 8 p.m. Dress is national or formal.

ROOMS, ROOMS, ROOMS

Accommodation for the Summit is being offered at various locations throughout Abuja. A full list of accommodation has been included in each delegate pack. For further information please contact the Summit Secretariat. The Federal Government to Nigeria has kindly agreed to reserve and cover the cost of accommodation for each Head of Delegation plus two other delegates. All other delegates attending are invited to indicate their preferred accommodation from the official list of hotels and contact the Summit Secretariat to secure a booking or alternatively contact the hotel direct to make a reservation (please inform the Secretariat if you have done so). The list of hotels is attached to this copy of MalSum.

PUBLICITY MATTERS

A global network of communications point people has been set up to help provide Summit information to the media.

Please note: If you are aware of any journalists or news crews from outside Nigeria wishing to attend either the massive bednet event or the Summit they need to alert either Austine Oghide or Andy Seale to ensure Nigerian Government Accreditation.

For those involved in securing coverage for events from outside of Nigeria the following contacts will be useful.

For Nigeria and AFRO region publicity

Austine Oghide WHO Nigeria
Tel. +234 1 545 3662/3 or +234 9 314 8776/7

Sam Ajibola WHO AFRO
Tel. +234 9 523 9323

For WHO HQ and foreign reporters attending the Summit

Andy Seale WHO Geneva
Tel +41 22 791 3670

Sheraton Hotel, Abuja
Tel. +234 9 523 0225

For Central Summit Enquiries

Summit Secretariat
Tel. +234 9 523 9323 or +413 1811 49 (Room 646)

For West Africa PR Support

Chuddy Odueni
Arcay Corporate Communications Lagos
Tel. +234 1 497 0128

For Southern Africa Pr Support

Kim Hudson
Arcay Corporate Communications
Johannesburg
Tel. +27 11 480 8555

Sheraton Hotel Abuja
Tel. +234 9 523 0225

For UK based enquiries

Janice Muir (UK)
Tel. +44 171 407 3313

For United States based enquiries

Jim Palmer (US)
Tel. +1 202 262 9823

RBM on the World Wide Web

Check out the Press Pack on the Roll Back Malaria Website www.who.int/rbm

TO FIND OUT MORE

Dr E.A. Abebe
Director of Primary Health Care and Disease Control,
Summit Director
Federal Ministry of Health
Abuja, Nigeria
Tel/fax: +234 9 523 8190
Tel: +234 9 40 4490; +234 9523 9323 or +413 1811/40 (Room 646)
E-mail: phcdc@inet-global.com

African Summit on Roll Back Malaria
Summit Secretariat
c/o Nicon Hilton Hotel
Room 646
Aguyi Ironsi Road
Maitama
Abuja, Nigeria
Tel.: +234 9 413 1811/40
Fax: +234 9 413 2418

AFRICAN SUMMIT ON ROLL BACK MALARIA LIST OF HOTELS AND RATES