Nyamapanda: 16 April 2014. Zimbabwe welcomed the Racing Against Malaria 2 (RAM2) convoy at Nyamapanda border post which borders Zimbabwe with Mozambique. RAM is a regional advocacy campaign aimed at raising malaria awareness in communities in malaria endemic SADC countries. This year’s RAM started in Malawi on the 14th of April 2014 and is running under the theme “A malaria free SADC: Moving towards malaria elimination by 2020”. The RAM convoy will drive through Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana reaching Angola on the 25th of April. It will culminate into the 2014 World Malaria Day commemoration.

The convoy which crossed Nyamapanda border post in Mudzi district comprised of the RAM team leader Dr Kaka Mudambo, the Malawi delegation led by the Deputy Director for Malaria Mrs Doreen Ali, delegates from Cuba, the RBM team and delegates from Zimbabwe. The Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Dr Paul Chimedza officially welcomed the convoy to Zimbabwe. Present were the National Malaria Control Programme members and partners, senior MoHCC officials, local traditional and political leaders, provincial, district and local government officials, United Nations agencies and the Mudzi community. The event signified the launch of the Zimbabwe leg of RAM 2.

The Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Dr Paul Chimedza was the Guest of honour at the launch. He noted that in Zimbabwe the malaria burden has decreased significantly over the past decade, however, it now remains heavy at the border districts. He emphasised that Zimbabwe recognizes the importance of the formation of strong cross-border malaria initiatives that operate at the lowest level possible to address the issue of malaria and possibly eliminate the disease. Dr Chimedza also highlighted that RAM represents an excellent chance to increase the awareness of malaria in the region in addition to raising resources to fight against the disease.

The WHO Representative Dr David Okello was represented at the launch by the Disease Prevention and Control Officer Dr Lincoln Charimari. In his remarks, Dr Okello noted that cross border movements are a common activity in the SADC region, with some families who live in the borders of countries living in the same neighbourhoods with those across their country’s border. He noted that such set ups increases the risk of transmission of communicable diseases such as malaria between countries. He further noted that mobile cross border populations interact with different health care systems. Dr Okello emphasised the need for harmonised cross border malaria control approaches and health systems that speak with each other in this context.

The RAM team leader Dr Kaka Mudambo thanked the MoHCC for organising and supporting RAM 2. He emphasised the need to ensure that cross border initiatives to fight malaria are well coordinated.

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