USAID and the Peace Corps celebrated World Malaria Day by announcing a collaboration to help reduce the burden of malaria in Africa. Here’s a rundown of the event from guest blogger Ben Brophy of the Malaria Policy Center.
Dr. Rajiv Shah, USAID Administrator, Aaron S. Williams, Peace Corps Director, and Rear Admiral Tim Ziemer, U.S. Global Malaria Coordinator, gathered today to announce the partnership of the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) and the Peace Corps as a component of broader USAID and Peace Corps collaboration in global health and to talk about the progress made against malaria so far.
Mr. Williams opened the event discussing the problem of malaria and the new partnership, named ‘Stomp Out Malaria’ between PMI and the Peace Corps. He lauded both Dr. Shah and Admiral Ziemer for their tireless efforts against malaria.
Dr. Shah gave a great overview of the amazing progress that has been made against malaria so far. He pointed to the fact that PMI is reducing overall childhood mortality and for this reason it is one of the best investments we can make. However, Shah also cautioned that “If we step back now we will see a rapid uptick in malaria and unnecessary child deaths.”
Admiral Ziemer echoed this message of success and talked about the emerging partnership between PMI and the Peace Corps. Essentially, PMI and organizations like Malaria No More, VOICES for a Malaria Free Future and WorldVision will train Peace Corps volunteers on malaria interventions and then those volunteers can take that knowledge with them to instruct their local villages and communities.
Washington Post columnist Michael Gerson hosted a panel of several speakers to talk about the malaria fight in more detail. Gerson also discussed his recent trip to Senegal with the Malaria Policy Center where he saw U.S. investments in malaria in action. Gerson came away from that experience saying ”This is how aid should be done.”
Ambassador Mark Green, Matt McLaughlin of the Peace Corps Malaria Initiative for Africa, Professor Awa Marie Coll-Seck of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, and Andrea Gough, of the Nothing but Nets campaign were all on hand to talk about various aspects of the world’s efforts against the disease. The most notable quote came from Ambassador Green “Development dollars are being stretched thin and partnerships like this one between PMI and the Peace Corps are squeezing out every penny and producing great results.”
Ultimately, the partnership between PMI and the Peace Corps is producing yet another new tool to help end malaria deaths by 2015. It is these types of integrated partnerships that are uniting our efforts and amplifying our resources.
