Kirehe, Rwanda│Friday, April 25, 2008

Today, Rwanda’s Ministry of Health and National Malaria Control Program will mark World Malaria Day at Bukora Health Center in Kirehe District. The event will highlight the Government of Rwanda’s leadership in fighting malaria and saving lives.

The United States President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) is working in partnership with Rwanda to diminish the burden of malaria. PMI supports the Government of Rwanda’s initiatives to address the disease.

On World Malaria Day, Americans stand in solidarity with Rwanda and communities across the globe in the fight against malaria,” said Ryan Washburn, Acting Director for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in Rwanda. “Today, we commemorate World Malaria Day with you, celebrate your achievements, and rededicate our historic partnership between Rwanda and the United States to defeat this preventable and treatable killer.”

Rwanda’s World Malaria Day event will include the launching of the private sector distribution of lifesaving artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) and integration of home-based management of fever (a symptom of malaria) with the basic package provided by community health workers in Rwanda. Both initiatives are supported by PMI.

PRIMO is a branded package for Coartem, an effective ACT that reduces malaria-related mortality in children under the age of five. In Rwanda, PRIMO is used for the home-based management of fever and will now also be available in the private sector. PRIMO comes in a special package with easy-to-understand illustrated instructions in order to ensure that children receive the correct doses and full regimen of treatment. Population Services International (PSI) developed the name and packaging with support from Rwanda’s National Malaria Control Program and PMI.

The Expanded Impact Project (EIP) supports the Government of Rwanda’s strategy to empower communities to deliver essential health services. With funding from PMI, EIP saves the lives of children in Kirehe by ensuring prompt treatment through home-based management of fever. EIP trains voluntary community health workers to diagnose the disease, provide PRIMO and refer severe cases to the closest health facilities for immediate care. The home-based management of fever will be integrated with the basic services provided by community health workers across Rwanda.

Malaria is beginning to be rolled back, setting the stage for big gains in the next few years,” said Admiral R. Timothy Ziemer, U.S. Malaria Coordinator. “For the first time, the elimination of one of Africa’s leading killers of children is within our reach.”