Ondjiva 25 April 2011 -- On World Malaria Day, Namibia’s and Angola’s Health Ministers with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) signed a historical Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that launched the Trans-Kunene Malaria Initiative (TKMI). The MOU aims to strengthen cross-border collaboration to reduce malaria transmission to zero in the Trans-Kunene region comprised of Cunene and Namibe provinces in Angola and Kunene, Ohangwena, Omusati regions in Namibia. Statistics indicate that more than 230,000 malaria cases occur each year among a population of approximately 1.6 million in this region.

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The TKMI agreement drafted under the technical guidance and coordination of WHO Namibia and Angola country offices and in collaboration with the SADC Health Desk addresses many of the challenges faced by proposing common prevention malaria strategies. WHO Representative to Namibia, Dr Magda Robalo and WHO Representative to Angola Dr Rui Vaz welcomed the signing of the TKMI agreement and reaffirmed their support toward the implementation of the programme.

Regarding the operationalization of the TKMI, Namibia’s WHO Representative, Dr Magda Robalo notes, “The TKMI initiative will cover Ohangwena, Omusati and Kunene regions in Namibia, which will collaborate with Cunene and Namibe provinces in Angola. Both countries commit to standardize and synchronize malaria control interventions such as indoor residual spraying (IRS), distribution of mosquito nets and early treatment of malaria cases with effective antimalarial medicines. Capacity building, health promotion, surveillance, monitoring and evaluation are cross cutting interventions to be implemented as well.” Dr Robalo commended Namibia’s lead role in fostering cross border collaboration around priority health matters.

More specifically, WHO will render technical advisory services to both Health Ministries to establish the TKMI’s governance and management structures to ensure its operationalization. Additionally, WHO will assist in developing a common disease surveillance and analysis system for the timely detection and control of malaria epidemics; support indoor residual spraying, mosquito net distribution and larviciding.

According to the WHO Representative to Angola, Dr Rui Vaz, “This initiative will certainly strengthen the existing cooperation between Angola and Namibia regarding the prevention and control of the main communicable diseases along the bordering areas, including the definition of therapeutic protocols to treat HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, the preparation of synchronized campaigns for polio immunization and epidemiological surveillance activities. It will also be an entry point to intensify interventions aimed at ensuring the access to primary health care by communities living in the cross borders areas.”

The TKMI was signed in recognition of the growing challenges faced along the common border and hampering malaria prevention and control. These challenges include: weak operational and logistical capacity which limits access to essential services such as diagnostics and medicines; increased population movement across borders; cumbersome administrative and legal requirements for the sharing of resources coupled with no clear protocols for sharing disease surveillance and control data to forecast potential disease outbreaks and institute timely interventions.

In so doing, the TKMI agreement will facilitate the movement of goods, equipment, products, vehicles and health sector technicians across the border. Various agencies of both Governments, such as Home Affairs and Immigration, Finance and Customs will put in place the necessary diplomatic, administrative and logistical arrangements necessary to ensure its success.

The TKMI initiative is a key milestone of several other recent cross border health initiatives brought about as a result of WHO’s technical and advisory support, such as the Lusaka Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) adopted by Health Ministers of Angola, Congo, DR Congo, Namibia and Zambia on 18 March 2011. The Lusaka Agreement focuses on TB control, delivery of health care to people living with HIV/AIDS, synchronized efforts for polio immunization and control of other vaccine preventable diseases, malaria control, ensuring access to quality primary health care services as well as the sharing of best practices and expertise along cross border areas.

Additionally, the TKMI closes the “net” on malaria and gives greater impetus to Namibia’s Wipe-Out Malaria Campaign launched last year on World Malaria Day and Elimination 8 Initiative. The Elimination 8 initiative aims to improve cross border collaboration by jointly controlling malaria within and among eight SADC countries namely: Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Other partners involved in this initiative include: Nets for Life; President’s Malaria Initiative (USAID), Malaria Atlas Project, Medical Research Council of South Africa, Southern Africa Malaria Elimination Support Team, among others.

For more details, contact:

WHO Namibia:
Communications & Advocacy Officer: Michelle Thulkanam
email:  thulkanamm [at] na.afro.who.inttarget="_blank",
Ph- +26461-255-191 / Cell: +264-81-423-0556.

WHO Angola:
Health Information and Promotion Officer, José Soares Caetano
email:  caetanoj [at] ao.afro.who.int 
Ph-: +244 926 546 698 / Cell: +244912-220-543.