MALI

More than 800,000 cases of malaria were reported in Mali in 2005, in a country where malaria is responsible for 30% of outpatient clinical visits, 30% of hospital deaths, and 17% of childhood deaths. The disease can be found everywhere in Mali.

The Voices Project team in Mali has teamed up with Groupe Pivot, a well-established national NGO umbrella group. Working at both the national and community levels, the Voices Project is raising awareness of issues such as access to insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), provision of IPT for pregnant women, drug resistance, and pesticides used in indoor residual spraying (IRS). Voices also played a key role in facilitating partner collaboration and coordination throughout the end stages of the planning process by hosting weekly meetings. A post-campaign survey showed 80% of households with children under five now have a long lasting insecticide treated net.

Activities to Date

Most recently the team helped to assure the success of the Ministry of Health’s December 07 integrated campaign, which provided measles and polio vaccinations, deworming medication, Vitamin A, and insecticide treated nets to over 2.8 million children and 160,000 women post-partum. Voices trained local journalists, organized a press conference, co-organized an information point for international visitors and a reception for the Ministry of Health, and accompanied visitors and journalists to the field to see the campaign in action. Voices also played a key role in facilitating partner collaboration and coordination throughout the end stages of the planning process by hosting weekly meetings.

Other major activities include:

• Raising profile of NMCP within Ministry of Health: Working with the National Assembly, NMCP and Ministry of Health to move the NMCP from within the National Health Director’s Office to the level of ministry cabinet.

• Facilitated the 5 year extension of the taxes and tariffs exoneration for insecticide treated nets and materials, via direct advocacy with USAID, the US Embassy, and the President of Mali.

• Advocacy for improved access to ACTs: Hosted an Etat Major meeting on ACTs in Mali with donors, implementing agencies, ministry officials and private sector representatives. ACTs are free for children under 5 and available in health clinics but access is still low due to limited use of community relays/health workers. During the meeting partners made an action plan to address the identified bottlenecks, and engaged the Regional Health Director to assure a good redistribution of drugs.

• Increasing district funds allocations for malaria: Eight districts in Mopti, Timbuktu and Kayes regions have been selected for malaria advocacy interventions according to extreme poverty, malaria prevalence and the risk of a malaria epidemic. In these regions local NGOs will advocate with local authorities (mayors, district assemblies) to allocate local resources and priorities to malaria control. The Mayors Alliance (AMM) and several members of the national assembly were trained in malaria advocacy, and will support the advocacy objectives at both the national levels as well as in the three regions.

• Engaging the private sector: Members of the private sector have committed to assisting the MOH to get ITNs out to districts that haven’t received their quotas.

• Advocacy campaign targeting decision makers: In a series of televised spots, popular Malian musicians ask national and district leaders to do their best to protect Malians. Specifically, they ask that pregnant women get ITNs and SP for free; that children get nets and new treatment; that nets be distributed according to the policy all over Mali; and that children get treated quickly. After seeing the spots, the Minister of Health called Voices for a meeting to find out more about the project.

• International Advocacy Conference: In October 07 southern African NGO network representatives convened in Bamako to discuss regional issues in malaria advocacy. During the Conference the participants met with President Amadou Toumani Toure, and identified three focus areas for advocacy: improved community access to commodities and services; effective collaboration and transparency among partners; increased political will, as evidenced by a commitment to results.

• Facilitate RBM sub-regional network process: The WARN focal point identified the Voices Regional office as a source of support for the finalization of the group’s workplan in September, and for helping to organize the next meeting for WARN in late January 08 in Bamako.

Publications

• Malian Households Protected by Life-Saving Mosquito Nets
• PMI Country Profile for Mali
• RBM 2005 Report for Mali

Music and Videos

• Mali Musicians Promote Malaria Control 

Success Stories

• One Man’s Belief in Medicine Sets Example for a Whole Village
• Mother’s Action Changes Son’s Fate
• A Father's Story
• A Mother’s Perseverance
• Community Health Centers