This content is available in English only
The 1st Meeting Roll Back Malaria Partnership Communication Community of Practice at the Country Level
Media Announcement, 08.11.2012
TweetNational Malaria Control Programs, Partners and Donor Agencies meet to develop a new road map for enhancing the impact of communication in malaria control efforts at the country level.
8 September 2012,Maputo, MOZAMBIQUE - Roll Back Malaria Partnership is pleased to announce the first official meeting of the newly formed RBM Communication Community of Practice (CoP). Building on the successful launch of The Strategic Framework for Malaria Communication at the Country Level - a key reference document for policy makers and a road map for enhancing the impact of communication in malaria control efforts at the country level- the new Communication Community of Practice met November 7, 2012 in Maputo, Mozambique to commemorate Southern African Development Community Malaria Day and to map out a 2013-2014 program of work aimed at enhancing the role of Social and Behavioral Change Communication in the fight against malaria. The first CoP meeting represented 11 countries (Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe) and communication partners included FHI 360-C-Change project, IEC-CCC, JHU-CCP, Malaria Consortium, Malaria No More, NMCP, PSI, SARBM, etc.
"I am also pleased to host the first RBM Communication Community of Practice Meeting here in Mozambique. In our battle against malaria we need to ensure we have a robust and technically superior communication program and it is our desire that this Community will help lead the effort to improve the state of the art in malaria communication. Between the new Strategic Framework document and the commitment of all the partners gathered here we are well on our way to enhancing the impact of communication in malaria control efforts at the country level." Dr. Grica Matshinye, National Malaria Control Program Manager Mozambique.
"The RBM Community of Practice is the result of the work of a broad range of stakeholders and partners coming together to better integrate communication into malaria control and chart out a research, implementation and evaluation agenda for the next two years. Special thanks go to the following organizations for their steadfast technical and/or financial support in the drafting of this document: President’s Malaria Initiative, FHI360/C-Change Project, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Johns Hopkins University-Center for Communication Programs, Malaria No More, Population Services International, and UNICEF." said Kaka Mudambo, Southern Africa Regional RBM Network.
During the course of the meeting, the RBM Community of Practice participants outlined a plan of action to:
- Provide national malaria control programs with resources to develop evidenced based communication strategies which are results driven .
- Identify ways to monitor and evaluate evidence based malaria communication activities and demonstrate the impact of country-level communication interventions on social and behavioral change for malaria control.
- Map existing communication strategies and the extent to which NMCPs are devoting human resources to malaria SBCC – and continue to advocate for increased SBCC at country level.
For additional information, please contact: Pru Smith, Senior Advisor, Communications and Advocacy, Roll Back Malaria Partnership Secretariat, +41 22 79 1458