Malaria is one of the greatest challenges in global public health, with millions affected by the disease every year, especially in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Despite the scientific breakthroughs in finding effective ways of treating and preventing the dreaded, mosquito-borne disease, the burden of the disease, if not tackled holistically, continues to pose a great threat to global health. In most affected African countries, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and government agencies have been working together to find lasting solutions to the menace of malaria. In this discourse, we are going to examine the role of NGOs and governments in tackling malaria, successful joint initiatives between malaria-controlling bodies, and remedial approaches that could be adopted by stakeholders in future endeavors.
The Role of NGOs in Malaria Eradication
NGOs play a critical role in malaria eradication through various functions:
1. Advocacy and Awareness
But without NGOs that continue to raise awareness of malaria, and advocate for the funding and the research that is needed to tackle it, the battle against one of the most ancient of diseases will not be won. NGOs mobilize communities, push policy, and educate the public about the symptoms, prevention, and treatment of this ancient parasite.
Campaigns: NGOs conduct awareness campaigns to inform the population about prevention methods, symptoms, and early treatment. Campaigns are often conducted with a variety of channels, for example, social media but also radio and TV channels.
Policy – advocating with national and international governments for changes to policy, for example, pushing for greater spending on malaria research, easier access to treatment, and adoption of effective malaria-control strategies.
2. Direct Implementation of Health Programs
There are too many NGOs and their involvement in the execution of malaria control activities might seem excessive:
- Distributing Insecticide-Treated Nets: NGOs will distribute and provide education on the usage and maintenance of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) to those at risk, especially in rural and remote areas.
- Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS): Some NGOs perform sprayings to reduce malaria transmission by killing mosquitoes that come into the home. Often, this is done in collaboration with local governments.
- Healthcare Services: NGOs provide diagnostic and treatment services for malaria, such as rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and antimalarial medicines. They run health clinics and mobile health units in remote areas with little or no healthcare services.
3. Research and Innovation
NGOs are involved in malaria research and the development of new tools and strategies:
- Research Funding: NGOs fund research into malaria vaccines, new antimalarial drugs, and novel vector control methods. They support work to improve existing interventions and develop new ones.
- Pilot Programmes: NGOs will often run pilot programs, to test proximate and structural approaches in the field. Data from these pilots can then be used to ascertain whether new technologies or strategies should be scaled up.
The Role of Governments in Malaria Eradication
States are vital in this battle by setting policies, funding, and programming:
1. Policy and Strategy Development
Governments develop strategies and policies to prevent and control malaria – establishing national malaria control objectives, priorities, resource allocations, and oversight – and they coordinate national control efforts.
- National Programs: Governments develop and oversee national malaria control programs or frameworks that provide guidelines for national strategies for prevention, treatment, and surveillance, usually in alignment with global programs. For example, the WHO’s Global Malaria Programme.
- Regulation and Policy: setting regulations for the introduction and use of insecticides, antimalarial drugs, and other malaria control tools, as well as ensuring that policies are properly implemented and reaching their intended target populations.
2. Funding and Resource Allocation
As a result, governments are largely responsible for funding the struggle against malaria, to ensure that priority is given where it is needed:
- National Budgets: National health budgets fund malaria prevention and treatment, often supplemented by international funding and aid.
- Infrastructure Development: Governments invest in malaria infrastructure, including health infrastructure (in the form of facilities and laboratories), supply chains, etc.
3. Coordination and Partnerships
Agencies coordinate with each other, with NGOs, and with international and private sector partners, to ensure a seamless approach to malaria eradication: In every corner of the country:
- Multisectoral Approaches: The government works with education, agriculture, housing, and other sectors to tackle the broader determinants of malaria transmission. For example, housing improvements and better drainage to reduce stagnant water are helpful to control mosquito breeding.
- International Cooperation: National governments partner with international agencies (the World Health Organization (WHO), the Global Fund, the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation) and expand malaria control efforts. Technical support, funding, and expertise can be provided via these agencies.
Successful Collaborative Initiatives
Several collaborative initiatives between NGOs and governments have demonstrated success in malaria eradication efforts:
1. The Roll Back Malaria Partnership
Since its founding in 1998, the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership has been a global effort that involves governments, NGOs, and international organizations that coordinate, share expertise and mobilize resources for malaria control. Much of RBM’s efforts concentrated on scaling up malaria prevention and treatment interventions in the endemic regions.
2. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
The Global Fund is a major international financing organization that supports malaria control around the world with more than $2 billion over the past couple of years. It allocates funds to governments and non-governmental partners to scale up malaria prevention, treatment, and research. Thanks to large investments from the Global Fund, cases and deaths due to malaria have dramatically fallen in many countries over the last few years.
3. The President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI)
Overseen by the US government, PMI collaborates with national governments and NGOs to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality with a broad portfolio of interventions, from the distribution of ITNs to IRS and malaria treatment. PMI-supported countries have experienced remarkable declines in malaria cases and deaths.
Strategies for Effective Collaboration
To enhance the effectiveness of collaborative initiatives, consider the following strategies:
1. Clear Communication and Coordination
Setting up proper communication channels and coordination mechanisms within the team is important – for example, a regular meeting cadence, single- or joint-planning sessions, shared platforms, etc.
2. Data Sharing and Monitoring
Effective partnerships entail information-sharing and tracking of progress. It’s easier to follow up on malaria cases, verify treatment outcomes, and assess the program impact if you’re jointly developing and using data management systems.
3. Capacity Building
Invest in program capacity for government and NGO staff. A variety of activities, including training, knowledge exchange, and technical assistance, can strengthen the capacity of all partners and enhance the quality of program implementation.
4. Community Engagement
Involve local communities in malaria prevention and control efforts. Community involvement helps to ensure that interventions are culturally appropriate, responsive to local needs and challenges, and better utilized.
5. Sustainable Funding
Get long-term, stable funding for malaria eradication efforts. Diversify donors, such as international grants, the private sector, and government budgets.
Partnerships between NGOs and governments therefore have a crucial role to play. These alliances can combine the strengths of either sector with the resources of the other and can therefore implement effective malaria control approaches, bring them to scale, and generate impact at the health level and beyond. We hope that the historic success of collaborations, such as those exemplified by the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, the Global Fund, and PMI, will serve as a model going forward. Should anti-malaria programming continue to hinge upon partnerships and commitment to the malaria cause from governments and the private sector, continuous collaboration, effective messaging, and community engagement will be important to continue the international Aedes aegypti mosquito eradication efforts to eliminate this disease as one of the biggest killers and a major obstacle to achieving health for all.
