Addis Ababa, 15 July 2012 – In a high level meeting chaired by H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia and Chair of African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA), delegates including Heads of State and Government, the President of the African Union Commission, the Representative of the UN Secretary General and other high ranking officials, were updated on unprecedented success in scaling up malaria control interventions which resulted in one third reduction of malaria deaths during the last decade in Africa.

The meeting recognized that the global financial crisis is threatening the capacity of health services to accelerate progress towards the 2015 agreed targets. The Heads of State and Government reaffirmed their sustained leadership to further engage domestic resources while exploring innovative financing mechanisms at the global level. The need to increase accountability on results by using an integrated scorecard that would facilitate the tracking of progress towards HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria related targets was recognized.

In his address to the meeting, the Regional Director of WHO for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo highlighted the need to accelerate the scaling up of proven high impact interventions such as integrated vector management including long lasting insecticide treated nets (LLINs), indoor residual spraying; community case management using rapid diagnostic tests and medicines according to WHO treatment guidelines. He further indicated that based on evidence generated and lessons learned during the last ten years, Malaria elimination is achievable provided that human resources, technology and financial capacity of national health services are strengthened to ensure universal access to malaria interventions.

He recalled the recent joint meeting of African Ministers of Health and Ministers of Finance organised by Harmonization for Health in Africa (HHA) agencies in which consensus was reached on efficiency measures and appropriate financing mechanisms towards universal health coverage.

Dr Sambo, reiterated WHO's continued commitment to collaborate with the African Union, African Leaders Malaria Alliance, Regional Economic Communities and other multilateral and bilateral agencies in order to strengthen country support towards universal access to malaria interventions.

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For more information, please contact:

Collins Boakye-Agyemang + 472413 9420 E-mail: Boakyec [at] afro.who.int (Boakyec[at]afro[dot]who[dot]int)

Wassihun Melaku +251 921 46 42 34 E-mail : Wassihunm [at] et.afro.who.int (Wassihunm[at]et[dot]afro[dot]who[dot]int)

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HHA Agencies : AfDB, GFATM, JICA, NORAD, UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF, UN Women, USAID, the World Bank, WHO