Harare, 25 Feb 2014 -- The Government Counselor for External Relations of the Principality of Monaco, M. José Badia and IST/ESA Coordinator, Dr David Okello signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the 2nd phase of the accelerated malaria control towards pre-elimination in East and Southern Africa by 2015 project.

Since 2004, the International Cooperation of the Principality of Monaco has supported WHO in several projects to fight malaria in Madagascar. Due to the excellent collaboration and outcomes obtained within Madagascar, WHO Regional Office for Africa in 2010, requested the International Cooperation of the Principality of Monaco to support the IST/ESA sub-regional project entitled “Accelerated malaria control towards pre-elimination in East and Southern Africa by 2015".

The first phase of the project covered 2010-2012 and the second phase covers 2013—2015. There are eight countries involved in this project: Zimbabwe, Comoros, Madagascar, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Botswana and Zanzibar. Monaco Funds have been used to support technical assistance needed to implement malaria control programs in these countries.

Prior to the signing, M. José Badia, the Monaco Director of International Cooperation, Madame Bénédicte Schutz, and Dr Okello paid a courtesy call on the Honorable Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr David Parirenyatwa at his Kaguvi Building offices. The Honorable Minister acknowledged the support from Monaco in malaria control and encouraged them to look into other areas of cooperation like Non Communicable Diseases, and in particular cancer control, which he said is an area where urgent support is needed.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Dr Okello also acknowledged the support of the Principality of Monaco in malaria control which has seen most of the countries supported move into the pre elimination stages of the disease. M. Jose Badia congratulated the IST/ESA team for the work done to reduce the incidence of malaria in the supported countries. He applauded the Zimbabwe team for the work done in malaria control and said that Zimbabwe’s success is an example to other countries. He, however, said that more still needs to be done to safeguard the gains because the success is fragile even though they are close to pre elimination. He reaffirmed the Principality of Monaco’s commitment to support WHO in malaria control initiatives in the supported countries.

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For more information contact:

juliasw [at] who.int (juliasw[at]who[dot]int)