US to disburse community grants to fight Malaria

US Agency for International Development (USAID), has today announced over $11 million in grants to eight organisations working in seven countries in Africa to extend coverage of malaria prevention and control activities in communities most affected.

The grants, provided through President's Malaria Initiative (PMI), will target particularly children under age five and pregnant women.

Programmes in Malawi, Liberia, Senegal, Ghana, Ethiopia, Uganda and Angola will benefit from grant, according to USAID.

Malaria Communities Program (MCP) providing these grants is a $30 million initiative created under PMI to support efforts of communities and indigenous organisations to combat malaria in Africa. Announced in December 2006, programme specifically aims to identify new organisations that are uniquely positioned to work at the community level, while also seeking to increase local and indigenous capacities to undertake community-based malaria prevention and treatment activities and to build local ownership of malaria control for the long term.

"I am committed to expanding the work of nongovernmental and faith-based organisations, and other community based entities to reach people with the tools and knowledge to control malaria," said R. Tim Ziemer, U.S. Malaria Coordinator. "The key to saving lives, especially children, is to expand proven approaches and interventions until they reach each and every child who needs them."

One of the key community projects in Malawi, will implement a 4-year, $1.3 million malaria programme targeting about 60,000 under-five children and pregnant mothers in Phalombe District in southern Malawi. Through community education and training activities, project will increase community awareness and knowledge on malaria prevention, treatment and case management; promote correct and consistent use of insecticide treated nets; increase access to intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) among pregnant women; and build capacity of indigenous organisations in malaria management.

In other countries project will also address additionally preventive and care capacities as well as health education amongst communities through different community structures.