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DPI/NGO Relations invites you to a
Briefing
Towards the End of the Decade to Roll Back
Malaria in Developing Countries
In Observance of World Malaria Day 2009
on
23 April 2009
10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
in the
Dag Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium
Background Information:
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2006
there were over 247 million recorded cases of malaria world-wide.
Malaria is a life-threatening disease transmitted to people through
the bite of an infected mosquito. While the majority of the cases
occur in sub-Saharan Africa, other areas afflicted by malaria include
Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and parts of Europe. The Roll
Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership was launched in 1998 by the WHO,
UNICEF, UNDP, and the World Bank to create a coordinated global
effort to combat the problem of malaria. Today, the RBM Partnership
has greatly expanded, and is now made up of a wide range of associates
including, bilateral and multilateral development partners, private
sector, nongovernmental and community-based organizations, foundations,
research and academic institutions and malaria-endemic countries.
Together, the Partnership’s members bring an impressive collection
of expertise, infrastructure and funds working towards combating
the disease through effective prevention and treatment and the promotion
of increased investment in health systems and malaria awareness
programs. UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon has called for the international
malaria community to reach its target of delivering effective and
affordable protection and treatment to all those at risk of malaria
by 2010. World Malaria Day 2009, marks an important moment of introspection
as to what extent the collective efforts of the RBM Partnership
and all those working to win the fight against malaria have been
successful. This week’s briefing will examine the many achievements
of the RBM Partnership and the international malaria community,
but will also address the many challenges that developing nations
face while continuing to combat the crippling social and economic
affects malaria has had on their countries. The discussion will
also look at what future initiatives must be taken in order to continue
to lower global malaria incidence.
Moderator:
Maria-Luisa Chávez; Chief, NGO Relations,
Department of Public Information (DPI)
Speakers:
Augustine Mahiga, Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of
the United Republic of Tanzania to the United Nations
Allen Court, Special Advisor to the Secretary General’s
Special Envoy for Malaria
Dr. Melanie Renshaw, Senior Malaria Advisor, UNICEF
Tara Gutkowski, Senior Manager, Community Relations,
National Basketball Association
The panel discussion will be followed by a Question and
Answer period.
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