In a bid to support innovative approaches to overcoming the challenges of malaria in the Region of the Americas, local, national, and cross-national programs are invited to compete in this year's "Malaria Champions of the Americas" competition that launches on 25 April to commemorate World Malaria Day.
Washington, D.C., 25 April 2018 (PAHO/WHO) - In a bid to support innovative approaches to overcoming the challenges of malaria in the Region of the Americas, local, national, and cross-national programs are invited to compete in this year's "Malaria Champions of the Americas" competition that launches on 25 April to commemorate World Malaria Day.
This year, the competition, which is currently in its 10th edition, aims to find malaria programs or efforts that demonstrate significant emphasis on capacity building as essential components of malaria elimination and prevention of re-establishment. Winners are provided with a host of benefits for their respective projects and institutions, including opportunities for capacity building, an expanded network for technical collaboration, and the distinction of being role models and inspirations for the global battle against malaria. Nominations will be accepted until 25 June 2018.
The aim of the competition is to find and honor those initiatives that have significantly contributed toward addressing malaria in countries and communities in the Americas and beyond. Winning projects must clearly demonstrate success in malaria prevention, control, elimination, or prevention of re-establishment.
The awards are sponsored by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), the United Nations Foundation (UN Foundation), the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health (GWSPH), the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's Center for Communication Programs (JHU-CCP), the Global Health Consortium at the Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work from Florida International University (FIU-GHC), and the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH).
Toward malaria elimination
In 2016, seven countries of the Region (Belize, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Paraguay, and Suriname) were included by WHO in the group of 21 countries worldwide with the potential to eliminate local transmission of malaria by 2020, while the malaria certification processes for Argentina and Paraguay are on-going.
Between 2000 and 2016, malaria cases in the Americas were reduced by 16%. Despite a continued decrease in the number of malaria cases in the Americas from 2005 to 2014, cases spiked once again in 2015, 2016 and most recently, in 2017, with an increase reported in several countries. Progress along the path towards eliminating malaria in the region can be compromised if surveillance and other key malaria interventions are not maintained or strengthened.
The theme of World Malaria Day 2018 - "Ready to Beat Malaria" - underscores the collective energy and commitment of the global community in uniting around the common goal of a world free of malaria. This year, the campaign will highlight the progress achieved in tackling the disease, while also calling out the worrying trends captured in the 2017 World Malaria Report.
To reinforce the Region of the America's commitment to malaria elimination and prevention of re-establishment, the "Malaria Champions of the Americas 2018" will recognize malaria efforts that demonstrate:
- Use of PAHO/WHO best practice in malaria prevention, control, elimination, and prevention of re-establishment.
- Innovative approaches to foster equity and increase the quality and uptake of services.
- Collaboration within and across sectors.
- Contribution to decreasing malaria-related morbidity and mortality at a community, country, regional or global level.
Winners of the 2018 "Malaria Champions of the Americas" will receive:
- The opportunity to participate in three PAHO/WHO capacity-building trainings for malaria prevention, control, elimination and prevention of re-establishment.
- US$ 2500 funding support for malaria-related capacity-building efforts (e.g., staff training/education, research, project proposal development, or other activities that enhance skills and abilities to achieve goals and targets).
- A commemorative plaque.
- The opportunity to be featured in various communication platforms of PAHO/WHO, the UN Foundation, GWSPH, JHU-CCP,FIU-GHC, and ASTMH as a "best practice" story on malaria.
Nominations for the 2018 "Malaria Champions of the Americas will be accepted from 25 April 2018 to 25 June 2018. Full details and nomination forms can be downloaded in this link.
The top three nominees will be invited to participate in a regional event for the commemoration of Malaria Day in the Americas on 6 November 2018, where the "Malaria Champion of the Americas" will be honored.
Previous winners have included the Binational Plan for Malaria Elimination in Hispaniola Island - Ouanaminthe-Dajabon, a Project of Haiti and the Dominican Republic to reduce new cases of malaria at the border (2017), Malaria Elimination Plan 2015-2020, Ministry of Health of Costa Rica - MINSA (2016), the National Program for Malaria Prevention and Control of Brazil (2015), and the National Center for Control of Tropical Diseases (CENCET) of the Dominican Republic (2014), among others.
For further information, please email escaladr@paho.org
The Pan American Health Organization works with the countries of the Americas to improve the health and quality of life of their peoples. Founded in 1902, it is the world's oldest international public health organization. It serves as the regional office for the Americas of WHO and is the specialized health agency of the inter-American system.
The United Nations Foundation builds public-private partnerships to address the world's most pressing problems, and broadens support for the United Nations through advocacy and public outreach. Through innovative campaigns and initiatives, the Foundation connects people, ideas, and resources to help the UN solve global problems. The Foundation was created in 1998 as a U.S. public charity by entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner and now is supported by global corporations, foundations, governments, and individuals. For more information, visit www.unfoundation.org.
The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health carries out innovative research and scholarly service activities to meet the evolving challenges of the 21st century global health and development environment. Working with a diverse group of partners, the school aims to strengthen the link between science and policy and to improve responses to critical health issues around the world.
The Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs is a global leader in the field of strategic health communication with active programs in more than 30 countries. CCP partners with organizations worldwide to design communication solutions that solve public health problems and inspire healthy behaviors. CCP's strengths include social and behavior change communication, advocacy, knowledge management, capacity strengthening, and research and evaluation. CCP is based at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
The Global Health Consortium at the Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, Florida International University, is an upcoming leader in global health multidisciplinary network in providing innovative, evidence-based solutions for the prevention, control, and elimination of relevant global health issues, and to improve the living conditions of communities through a sustainable and equitable balance between health and the environment.
The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene founded in 1903, is the largest international scientific organization of experts dedicated to reducing the worldwide burden of tropical infectious diseases and improving global health; accomplished through generating and sharing scientific evidence, informing health policies and practices, fostering career development, recognizing excellence, and advocating for investment in tropical medicine/global health research.
Links
- Malaria Champions in the Americas 2018
- Malaria Day in the Americas
- World Malaria Day 2018
- WHO T3 (Test, Treat, Track) Campaign
