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Coalition Members Recognize World Malaria Day
Associated Member Companies:
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Chevron Corporation
Chevron is supporting education and awareness outreach for World Malaria Day 2009, with the aim of making prevention materials and awareness information easily accessible and affordable to all employees.
In 2009, Chevron is making a particular push to benefit local communities in Bengo Province, Angola, where the company will be working to complement the strategies and policies of the national government as well as initiatives being undertaken by civil society groups.
The initiative will include workshops, educational sessions, dissemination of informational materials, distribution of free bed nets, informing citizens about how to access malaria treatment services, liaising with suppliers and potential donors, and sharing information via a variety of mediums including theatre other visual aids. Chevron's program also provides its local workforce and eligible family members with anti-malaria treatment.
Other activities include a $5 million contribution to the government's anti-malaria efforts via The Global Fund, distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets to flood victims in displaced camps in Cunene province and the donation of fumigation machines to endemic areas of Cabinda Province. These activities also will continue on a permanent basis in Luanda and Cabinda provinces.
Marathon Oil Corporation
To commemorate World Malaria Day, Marathon Oil Corporation recorded a special Discover Marathon podcast with Adel Chaouch, Marathon's Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, discussing the serious impact of malaria, the company's success in addressing the disease in Equatorial Guinea, and the goals of World Malaria Day. This podcast can be found under the 'News' tab on Marathon's external web site at www.marathon.com.
Pfizer Inc
Pfizer is conducting an internal communications campaign in April, focusing on the company's work against malaria, and informing Pfizer staff about the company's NGO partners via an employee-giving portal that will help raise funds and increase awareness. Pfizer has a 25-year history in malaria treatment that includes a strong portfolio of malaria medicines; a Pfizer-owned manufacturing and distribution facility in Dakar, Senegal; investments in R&D to develop needed anti-malarial drugs for pregnant women and infants; and the Mobilize Against MalariaCorporate Responsibility initiative.
By providing $15 million in grants, evaluation support and the technical expertise of Pfizer colleagues through the Pfizer Global Health Fellows program over five years, Pfizer's Mobilize Against Malaria aims to reduce the rate of malaria morbidity and mortality. The program will improve malaria symptom recognition, treatment and referral through targeted training activities, and activate complementary community mobilization campaigns to improve the quality of care in Ghana, Kenya and Senegal. Pfizer is working with leading NGOs in this initiative, including Family Health International and Ghana Social Marketing Foundation in Ghana, Population Services International in Kenya, and IntraHealth in Senegal. The program is being evaluated by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
To learn more about Pfizer's Mobilize Against Malaria program, visit www.pfizer.com/malaria.
Sanofi-Aventis
Sanofi-Aventis's Access to Medicines department supports innovative anti-malaria initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa, including its Schoolchildren Against Malaria initiative. Children are the first victims of malaria, yet they receive little information on this disease. In 2008, Sanofi-Aventis, in close cooperation with local health authorities in Côte d'Ivoire, organized a theatre contest for 10- to 12-year olds to raise awareness about malaria. Ten schools, each representing different Abidjan districts, took part in this first contest, and nearly 4,000 children attended the final. Various tools designed for malaria prevention, such as insecticide-treated bed nets, were offered to the participants.
In 2009, Sanofi-Aventis is renewing and expanding the initiative to Ghana and Burkina Faso. The initiative will eventually reach 30,000 children with critical information about malaria and malaria prevention.
» View the video of Sanofi-Aventis's World Malaria Day event at the National Theater in Accra, Ghana
Standard Chartered Bank
In Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Standard Chartered Bank is engaging in a number of pre-World Malaria Day activities to promote malaria awareness and prevention. Bank staff and volunteers will be joined by District Commissioners and representatives of the Ministry of Health to distribute insecticide-treated bed nets to women and children in hospital pregnancy wards, in partnership with the MEA Foundation, a local NGO that specializes in net distribution.
In addition, on World Malaria Day the Bank is participating in a variety of activities in Kilomo, an area about 60 minutes from Dar es Salaam. More than 50 Bank staff will be distributing bed nets to approximately 2,000 Kilomo residents, in partnership with Coca-Cola. Standard Bank Tanzania CEO Jeremy Awori will be joined by Hon. Magreth Sitta of the Ministry of Community, Gender & Development and other government officials at the event.
Sumitomo Chemical
On World Malaria Day 2009, Sumitomo is sponsoring a photo exhibit in London, as well as a variety of events across Africa.
Sumitomo is joining with the Malaria Consortium, European Alliance Against Malaria and Friends of the Global Fund Europe to sponsor the London exhibition of "Mauvais Air," the gallery of William Daniels' malaria photos. Each of William Daniels' powerful images opens a window on the effect of malaria on poor communities in Africa and Asia. Admission to the exhibition is free, and it will be open daily at the OXO Gallery in London between April 22 and May 10.
In Niger, Sumitomo Chemical has provided 2.8 million Olyset Nets to Catholic Relief Services for local distribution. The Prime Minister and First Lady will launch the distribution of these nets on World Malaria Day. In Benin, Sumitomo Chemical donated 1,000 Olyset nets for World Malaria Day events to be led by the Minister for Public Health. In Nigeria, Sumitomo Chemical will participate in an exhibition organized by a committee made up of the various partners involved in Roll Back Malaria. In Ethiopia, Sumitomo has donated 2,000 Olyset nets to be distributed during the week of World Malaria Day. Sumitomo is also sponsoring a soccer match to raise awareness about the net campaign, and will participate in events with the net distributors, Woinu Curtain Trade (WCT) -who will begin local stitching of Olyset Nets in May. The events will be held in Kombocha, the town where the Olyset Net-Ethiopia factory is located.
Syngenta
Syngenta is participating in a private sector breakfast meeting in London entitled "The role of the private sector in the fight against malaria-a bridge between social responsibility and solidarity." Chaired by Financial Times pharmaceutical industry reporter Andrew Jack, other confirmed speakers include Mathilde Clerc, Africa Health Coordinator at LAFARGE; Kate Taylor, Vice President Market Access, GSK Biologicals; Sunil Mehra, Executive Director of the Malaria Consortium; and Michèle Barzach, Chair of the Friends of the Global Fund Europe.
Syngenta is also supporting country-level events in collaboration with local NGOs, national malaria control programs and health ministries in several malaria endemic countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
Vestergaard Frandsen
To honor World Malaria Day Vestergaard Frandsen stepped up production of its PermaNet® bed net.
Malaria claims more than one million lives every year, and leaves half of the world's population at risk of contracting the disease. Experts agree that long-lasting insecticide treated nets are among the best frontline defense against malaria. The Global Malaria Action Plan (GMAP), which is leading the charge toward universal coverage by 2010 and near zero deaths by 2015, estimates that 730 million nets must be manufactured and delivered worldwide to achieve this goal.
To help achieve the goals of the Global Malaria Action Plan (GMAP), which seeks to achieve universal coverage by 2010 and near zero deaths by 2015, Vestergaard Frandsen recently began an aggressive scale-up plan to boost production of the PermaNet® bed net.
"The global scale of the malaria problem is massive," said Mikkel Vestergaard Frandsen, CEO of his family company. "But with strong support from the public and private sector we believe the ambitious goals of the GMAP are attainable. Indeed, we must do everything possible to slam the brakes on this deadly disease," he added.
In addition to co-hosting a symposium on insecticide resistance with the Kenyan Ministry of Health, Vestergaard Frandsen participated in a World Malaria Day breakfast meeting in London hosted by the Malaria Consortium and supported the launch of Malaria No More UK, a new charity dedicated to ending deaths by malaria. The launch was fronted by leading UK sports figures David Beckham, Andy Murray and Denise Lewis, who endorsed the vital role of bed nets as a life saving tool in Africa.
In addition, the Coalition has developed several critical resources for business:
» Read more about the private sector's indispensable role in the fight against malaria
» Read the Company Management Guide: Implementing an Integrated Malaria Control Program
» Expert Interview - Daniel Vasella, Chairman and CEO, Novartis
» Read more about GBC's 2009 malaria activities and initiatives.
Originally published April 25, 2009
