United, We Can Beat Malaria

Courtesy: WHO World Malaria Report 2012

By Paul Okediji

If you’ve lived in Africa before, especially around the middle of the continent, chances are you’ve had malaria before. And it is obvious you survived it, right? Malaria is an illness endemic to this part of the world. It is so common we do not see it in the same light as we see conditions like heart attack or avian influenza. A large percentage of people do not even bother seeing a doctor anymore as they can easily ‘diagnose’ the condition and quickly ‘prescribe’ a couple of medicines to do the job. But do you know that about 219 million cases of malaria are estimated to occur around the world each year and 660,000 individuals die annually from it, particularly pregnant women and children less than five years of age? Sometimes, it is hard to believe that malaria really kills, but it does. There are several evidences to show for this. The numbers tell their own story, and even the cases we see around us are worth having sleepless nights over. The irony of the whole matter is that malaria is an entirely preventable and treatable one.

The main culprit in the transmission of the disease is the Anopheles mosquito, transmitting any of the four identified Plasmodium parasite species between infected and non-infected humans. There have been several strategies directed at reducing the numbers of these biting insects. This is because it is believed that vector control is the most important way to reduce the spread of malaria at the community level. However, mosquitoes swarming in their tens and hundreds are still a relatively common phenomenon in Africa, encouraged by shallow collections of fresh water in puddles and gutters, or around bushes.

The sixth millennium development goal aims at stopping and reducing the incidence of malaria globally. So far, much progress has been made in this regard. Since 2000, malaria mortality has dropped by more than 33%, stemming mainly from stronger prevention and control measures (MDG Report 2012). The efforts of several individuals and organizations need to be commended in this regard as the myriad of policies and strategies for malaria control and elimination seem to be yielding fruits. Examples include The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Malaria Foundation International, UAM, etc. And as a result of these efforts, the use of larvicides, insecticide treated nets, indoor residual spraying techniques, and efficacious antimalarial agents are gradually increasing in most African countries and beyond. This points to the fact that the elimination of malaria is just a matter of time. Malaria would soon become a thing of the past.

Every year since 2007, the 25th day of the fourth month is set aside to highlight the need for continued investment and sustained political commitment for malaria prevention and control. World Malaria Day is a day we need to sit down and re-evaluate our position and our contribution towards making sure that the elimination of malaria becomes a reality. As much as big organizations and corporations are contributing their own quota towards strengthening malaria control efforts, we as individuals need to do our own part. Asides trying to keep our environments unsuitable for the breeding of mosquitoes, we need to also support foundations aimed at developing and implementing solutions to the malaria problem either financially or creating awareness of their efforts.

A lot more still needs to be done. We definitely still have a long way to go, but by investing in our future, we can, and we will beat malaria

Report on progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals in Africa, 2013

Originally Published on South African Foreign Policy Initiative

Addis Ababa: This report is the latest update by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa on the progress that Africa is making towards the Millennium Development Goals. It builds on the reports of previous years in taking stock of progress made by African countries in the implementation of the MDG commitments in 2012, including the support provided by the ECA secretariat. The central message of this year’s report is that Africa has made significant progress towards the MDGs, but that it is uneven and too slow. There are also wide variations in performance across regions and countries, as well as across targets and indicators within the goals.

The report concludes that with the agreed deadline of 2015 approaching fast, there is still much to be done to increase the pace and improve the quality of performance on various goals and indicators. With two years remaining until 2015, this assessment is of the utmost importance as it will help countries identify the targets that require concerted efforts for achievement of the MDGs.

* Conclusions and policy recommendations

Progress towards the MDGs is mixed across regions, countries, goals, indicators and targets. While Africa as a whole is making considerable progress towards many of the MDGs, many countries are still far from achieving most of the goals. Issues of quality of service delivery, particularly in the education and health sectors, inequality in access to services, lack of decent jobs, and unemployment, particularly among young people, remain high on the agenda.

Job creation will require that countries embark on commodity-based industrialization that diversifies their economies and creates employment opportunities through value addition and integration in global value chains. Complementary investment in education and health systems will improve the quality of social services, strengthen productive capacities and enhance market competitiveness. Such measures will not only reduce poverty on the continent, but also assist in narrowing gaps in access to education, health services, clean water and sanitation.

Health interventions must prioritize primary health care and rural and vulnerable segments of the population. Policymakers must lobby development partners to allocate an increasing proportion of vertical funding to strengthening health systems. A robust health system with qualified health workers and adequate medical equipment is necessary to sustain and reinforce the targeted interventions of vertical funds. African countries must also improve civil registration systems to effectively monitor health trends, particularly in maternal and child health.

Investment in education should focus on enhancing access, quality and the relevance of the educational curricula to the labour force. This will require ensuring appropriate teacher-to-pupil ratios, upgrading the skills of teachers and encouraging timely entry into school. In addition, providing transport to children in remote areas, and introducing legislation on early marriages, will improve educational access, reduce dropout rates and enhance the overall quality of education in Africa.

Through its capacity building initiatives ECA will continue to support member States in accelerating progress towards the MDGs. In this context, ECA, in collaboration with the African Union Commission and the African Development Bank, is assisting African countries to implement a Reference Regional Strategic Framework for Statistical Capacity-Building in Africa aimed at strengthening capacities to collect, compile and disseminate data. It will also facilitate more reliable intercountry comparisons on development indicators, including the MDGs. In addition, ECA assists countries in the design, implementation and monitoring of MDG-based development plans through training, knowledge- sharing and peer learning initiatives.

Examples include the newly developed network of development planners, as well as the LDC Monitor, which assists African LDCs to track progress towards the MDGs and the objectives of the Istanbul Programme of Action for the LDCs. ECA also contributes to the MDG policy discourse through research and country studies. The Commission’s eight-country study on social protection provided policymakers with lessons learnt on how to empower vulnerable groups and minimize inequalities through the use of this instrument.

To ensure that the post 2015 development agenda takes into account the priorities of the continent, ECA, in collaboration with AUC and other partners, has helped to organize a series of regional and subregional consultations aimed at articulating an African common position on the post 2015 agenda, which will be presented to the African Union Heads of State for adoption in May 2013.

The post 2015 development agenda must not, however, distract Africa from its immediate task of eradicating poverty, providing quality education for all, empowering women, improving child and maternal health, fighting HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis and ensuring environmental sustainability.

Even as the world looks beyond 2015 towards a new development agenda, countries must stay on track to make as much progress as possible by the target date. The continent has made considerable progress toward the MDGs since 2000, and has learned a great deal over the past 12 years. By implementing lessons learned, African countries should be able to overcome challenges and fast-track progress over the next three years.

UN calls for accelerated action with 1,000 days to go on Millennium Development Goals

Originally published on UNDP.org on 4th April, 2013.

New York — To inspire further action, the United Nations and its partners around the world are marking 1,000 days to the end of 2015 – the target date for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – during the next week.

Starting on Friday 5 April – the actual milestone date – and running through to Friday 12 April, the UN will work with governments, civil society and international partners to mark “MDG Momentum: 1,000 Days of Action” in a variety of ways.

“The MDGs are the most successful global anti-poverty push in history,” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said. “The Goals have helped set global and national priorities, mobilize action, and achieve remarkable results.” 

The eight time-bound MDGs address poverty and hunger, education, gender equality, child mortality, maternal health, combatting AIDS, malaria and other diseases, environmental sustainability and a global partnership for development. 

Today in Madrid, Spain, the Secretary-General and young people from the Spanish and European Youth Councils have observed the moment at a special event, joined by UN Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Helen Clark and other heads of UN agencies, funds and programmes who are visiting for a senior-level UN meeting. 

Since the MDGs were adopted by all UN Member States in 2000, governments, international organizations and civil society groups around the world have helped make tremendous progress to improve people’s lives.

The world’s extreme poverty rate has been cut in half since 1990. A record number of children are in primary school — with an equal number of girls and boys for the first time. Maternal and child mortality have dropped.

The world continues to fight killer diseases, such as malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS. Since 1990, two billion more people have gained access to safe drinking water.

To build on this success and accelerate action, the Secretary-General called on the international community to: increase targeted investments in health, education, energy and sanitation; empower women and girls; focus on the most vulnerable people; keep up aid commitments; and re-energize efforts from governments to grassroots groups to make a difference.

UNDP will be a major participant in the MDG Momentum campaign to amplify awareness of MDG achievements and the commitment to continue global progress.

“The more the world can achieve on the MDGs, the more it will be possible to build confidence and support for a bold and ambitious post-2015 development agenda,” UNDP Administrator Helen Clark said.

“Forty-five countries are now using the MDG Acceleration Framework to identify pragmatic solutions to speed up progress on lagging MDGs, and to reduce disparities in progress to date,” Helen Clark said.

UN calls for accelerated action with 1,000 days to go on Millennium Development Goals

UN calls for accelerated action with 1,000 days to go on Millennium Development Goals

To inspire further action, the United Nations and its partners around the world are marking 1,000 days to the end of 2015 – the target date for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

1000 Days to the MDGs Target Date

Today marks exactly 1000 days to the MDGs Target Date. Share #MDGMomentum

What I’m Learning About Ghana

By Bill Gates (Originally published on the Impatient Optimists on March 25th, 2013)

I arrive in Ghana today to see firsthand why the country’s immunization system is working so well and meet the people involved.

For some people, health delivery systems might not seem like the most intriguing topic, but I am really interested in understanding how they’ve done so much of this right. Strong immunization systems are crucial for protecting our gains against polio and helping us reach mothers and children with new vaccines and other life-saving health services. In Ghana, for example, polio was eliminated a decade ago and an outbreak in 2008 was quickly controlled. No child there has died from measles since 2002. And Ghana was the first country to launch two new vaccines last April, against rotavirus, which causes severe diarrhea, and pneumococcal pneumonia.

Ghana’s approach works so well for a few key reasons: Rigorous data gathering and analysis, accountability at the district level, and community outreach. Just as importantly, the vaccination program is fully integrated into the health system. But there’s really no substitute for seeing it on the ground.

Tomorrow we’re going to visit a director of health services in a district in central Ghana, then a nearby clinic. We’re then going to visit a community health center where the nurses also go out to find mothers who missed appointments or children due for immunizations to make the program as thorough as possible. As I wrote in my annual letter this year, measurement is crucial for improving health care, so at every stop I want to understand how the data is collected and used for planning and decision making–and meet the people who are making this success possible.

I plan to share my experience in Ghana at the Global Vaccine Summit in Abu Dhabi April 24-25, where global health leaders will celebrate progress in immunization and demonstrate how the world is united to give all children a healthy start to life.

Of course, no system is perfect, so I want to learn about the obstacles and challenges in Ghana as well. I’ll speak with many of the leaders who are working so hard to reach every child with vaccines, including Dr K.O. Antwi-Agyei, who manages the national immunization program. I’m also excited to talk to some of the well-trained community health nurses and meet some of their local clients. In my next post I’ll tell you about the people I’m meeting and some of the lessons we can learn from Ghana’s success.

Nominate for Young Global Leaders

Nominate for Young Global Leaders

The Forum of Young Global Leaders is a unique, multistakeholder community of more than 700 exceptional young leaders who share a commitment to shaping the global future.

Young Global Leaders represent the future of leadership, coming from all regions of the world and representing business, government, civil society, arts & culture, academia and media, as well as social entrepreneurs.

Nominated under 40, these young leaders are proposed through a qualified nomination process and assessed according to rigorous selection criteria that creates a diverse and truly representative body, while accepting only the very best leaders who have already demonstrated their commitment to serving society at large.

Set up as an independent not-for-profit foundation, under the supervision of the Swiss Government, the Forum of Young Global Leaders works in close cooperation with the World Economic Forum to integrate young leaders into deep interaction with other stakeholders of global society.

YGL Active Members are involved in virtually all of the meetings, research and initiatives of the World Economic Forum, representing the views and interests of the next generation of leaders. Young Global Leaders have a powerful role in determining the activities of the YGL Community, which is governed by a Foundation Board and managed by a small team in Geneva.

The Forum of Young Global Leaders is building a next-generation leadership community that is mission-led and principle-driven, while being inclusive but merit-based.

Our objectives are to:

• Convene a diverse global community of peers by bringing together Young Global Leaders at summits, regional events, leadership development programmes and community-organized gatherings around the world. YGLs are encouraged to learn from each other, and with each other, in a search for forward-looking and innovative solutions to present-day problems. YGL events are dynamic, interactive gatherings that focus on collaboration across traditional “divides” and where every participant is an active one.
• Catalyse the next generation of leaders through personal experiences that enable YGLs to build knowledge and engender a better understanding of global challenges and trends, as well as to further enhance their unique role as leaders within their organizations and the broader community. Insights come from dedicated educational modules (such as the “Leadership and Public Policy for the 21st Century” module at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government); informal, interactive, off-the-record sessions with high-profile world leaders; and peer-to-peer coaching opportunities.
• Positively impact the global agenda by engaging the YGL community in initatives and task forces related to specific global challenges which they identify collectively. YGLs bring their diverse skill-set to tackle a range of issues using their expertise, knowledge and networks to make a sound contribution to the world. In that sense, the YGL Community is a distinctive balance of rights and responsibilities.

Check out the YGL Institutional Brochure with some outstanding YGL community stories and profiles.

Our YGL Community Lead Partner, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, has produced a special edition of their corporate magazine featuring many inspiring and impressive YGL stories. You can check it out at http://www.meet-the-ygl.com

After their tenure of five years, YGLs can join the YGL Alumni Community. From 1993 to 2003, before the creation of the Forum and the Young Global Leaders, new generation of leaders who demonstrated a commitment to addressing global issues were part of the Global Leaders of Tomorrow community.