GlobMal - Global Malaria Technical & Training Support Package, Phase 3
Project Abstract
The worldwide reduction in malaria-related death in the last two decades is a major global public health success. Despite the 6 million lives saved from malaria, still more than 400’000 people die every year. The project aims to shape effective global and national malaria control and elimination strategies, by providing the necessary scientific evidence and strengthening capacities of malaria-affected countries. Swiss research and private sector contribute to the design and implementation of these global and national malaria strategies.
Background
Thanks to the scale-up of effective malaria vector control tools such as insecticide-treated mosquito nets, diagnostics and medicines, malaria mortality has decreased worldwide by 60%, with 6.2 million lives saved since 2000. But despite this tremendous progress, still an estimated 3.4 billion people in 97 countries are at risk and every year, 438,000 people die of its consequences. WHO global strategy and Roll Back Malaria action plan, aligned with the 2016-2030 timeline of the Sustainable Development Goals, provide overall strategic direction towards the ambitious 2030 malaria goals to reduce malaria mortality by 40% by 2020 (compared with 2015) and to increase the number of malaria-free countries by additional 10 and 35 countries by 2020 and 2030, respectively.
To support the implementation of these strategies, the malaria control community relies on networks that respond to real life conditions and translate evidence stemming into practical guidelines and policies. The RBM working groups, managed and led by RBM partners such as Swiss TPH, provide a unique multi-stakeholder dialogue platform and is complementary to the technical and small WHO expert groups that have no partnerships with the private sector.
Objectives
To contribute to global malaria control and elimination by shaping global and national malaria control and elimination policies, and ultimately to reduce the malaria burden and to increase the number of malaria-free zones.
Target Groups
Global malaria community through latest evidence for policy shaping and for advancement of technical expertise Malaria control managers from malaria affected countries for capacity building Ultimately, populations worldwide of all malaria affected countries.
Expected Results
Output 1: The Vector Control Working Group is functional and provides effective support to the global and national malaria vector control efforts in all areas related to coordination and strategies.
Output 2: The Case Management Working Group is functional and provides effective support to the global and national malaria case management efforts in all areas related to coordination and strategies.
Output 3: Malaria courses for national malaria control managers in various locations are successfully carried out - Tanzania (2020), Laos (2021/2023), Tanzania (or Togo) (2022).
Output 4: Annual malaria leadership courses in various locations are successfully carried out; Science of Eradication course in Basel (2020), Boston (2021), Barcelona (2022), Basel (2023).
Output 5: Support the network of public health schools in Africa and Asia to strengthen capacity for effective malaria programmes.
Results from Phases 1-3
GlobMal Phase 1 and 2 have contributed to the emerging global malaria agenda and policies, while Phase 3 has contributed to gather technical evidence on vector control, case management and multi-sectoral action through multi-stakeholder collaboration. Phase 3 has also contributed to building human capacity. The newly established Roll Back Malaria Multi-Sectoral Working Group in phase 3 adopted a new development perspective, extending its focus beyond the health sector (e.g urban policies).
All three Phases ensured direct collaboration with WHO Global Malaria Programme and focused on fostering country ownership and leadership, through three channels: 1. Building human capacity and improving malaria control programs performance at country level through the active participation of National Malaria Control Personnel at the Working Groups annual meetings. 2. Coordinating global networks and helping to spur innovation and shape global policies and guidelines. 3. Strengthening WHO-Global Malaria Programme with technical resources assisting in carrying out its global normative and policy making roles.
