Group picture of participants at the Tanzania workshop

At the end of a 3-day media sensitization workshop on the INDEPTH Effectiveness and Safety Studies of Anti-malarials in Africa (known as INESS) project and the African Media and Malaria Network (AMMREN) comprising Journalists from Burkina Faso, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal and Tanzania held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on March 18th -20th, the following resolutions and conclusions, inter alia, were reached:
1.  That in 2000 African leaders met in Abuja, Nigeria and made the following declarations:

    60% of children under-five and pregnant women will sleep in ITNs.
    60 % of children under five with fever will have prompt access to care

    25% of childhood fevers will be correctly managed using IMCI

    Reduce malaria morbidity by half

    Reduce malaria mortality by 50 percent

2.  We observe that ten years on, these targets have not been met. However, with concerted efforts from all stakeholders - the Scientists, Journalists, Governments and Non-governmental Organisations, malaria will become a disease of the past.

3.   It is in view of this that we applaud efforts being made by INDEPTH Network, INDEPTH Effectiveness and Safety Studies of Anti-malarials in Africa (INESS) and Malaria Clinical Trials Alliance (MCTA) to set up various investigative sites in Africa to fight malaria.

4. We must recognize the fact that INESS is already carrying out studies in Tanzania and Ghana and will be expanding to other African countries such as Mozambique and Burkina Faso.

5.  INESS is conducting a phase four study of Anti-malarials and this promises to bring hope to Africa.

6. With such progress, there should be close collaboration between Scientists and Journalists particularly in the areas of information sharing. The collaboration will disseminate the right information about Malaria and efforts to eradicate the disease.

7.  We appreciate the work being done by Scientists and Researchers in various sites in Africa, however as Journalists, we would like to be involved from the conception of the Research, through to its conclusion.

8. We therefore urge African governments to strengthen their policies on eradication of malaria through the mass distribution of Insecticide Treated Nets and scale up free prescription of anti-malarials to children under-five years and pregnant women.

9. We commend Researchers and Scientists for their good work in the fight against malaria and urge them to work harder towards the complete eradication of malaria.
10. We urge Journalists across board  electronic and print  to continue to work in collaboration with Researchers and Scientists to tell the Malaria story and the progress being made to eradicate the killer disease.
                           
SIGNED                                                            
AMMREN Executive Secretary
Charity Binka   

SIGNED
INESS Project Manager
Dr. AZIZA MWISONGO