{"id":62306,"date":"2024-06-14T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-06-14T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.psi.org\/?post_type=plusproject-posts&p=62306"},"modified":"2024-06-26T11:53:24","modified_gmt":"2024-06-26T15:53:24","slug":"reflections-from-the-multilateral-initiative-on-malaria-mim-8th-pan-african-malaria-conference","status":"publish","type":"plusproject-posts","link":"https:\/\/www.psi.org\/fr\/plusproject-posts\/reflections-from-the-multilateral-initiative-on-malaria-mim-8th-pan-african-malaria-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"Reflections from the Multilateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM) 8th Pan-African Malaria Conference"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Plus Project is a 4.25-year Unitaid-funded project that has co-designed and piloted<\/a>, and will evaluate throughout the life of the project, country-adapted models of Perennial Malaria Chemoprevention (PMC) \u2013 the latest WHO recommendation which includes what was previously called Intermittent Preventive Treatment in infants \u2013 using sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) in four focus countries: Benin, Cameroon, Cote d\u2019Ivoire, and Mozambique.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Plus Project is proud to have delivered 10 scientific sessions, 2 symposia, and co-led the PMC community of practice gathering at the Multilateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM) 8th<\/sup> Pan-African Malaria Conference in Kigali, Rwanda, from April 21st<\/sup> \u2013 27th<\/sup>, 2024 under the theme \u201cGrassroots Mobilisation to End Malaria: Invest, Innovate, Integrate.” We also hosted a webinar<\/a> after MIM to share our symposium with a broader audience that was not able to join the conference. See all final presentations ici<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During MIM, we shared\u202flessons learned and project outputs to generate evidence aimed at accelerating the adoption and scale-up of PMC in the project countries and other malaria-endemic countries of sub-Saharan Africa. Research studies include policy adoption, impact, and economic modeling and evaluations, as well as SP resistance and suitability studies. These learnings from implementation experience and research evidence are intended to help countries decide if and how to use PMC as part of their malaria chemoprevention strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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(L-R): Prof Catherine Pitt, LSHTM Plus Project; Dr Junior Voundi Voundi, Chemoprevention Lead from NMCP Cameroon and co-chair of the PMC Community of Practice; Elsa Nhantumbo, Mozambique Country Lead Plus Project, PSI; Prof Gillian Stresman, University of South Florida, Plus Project; Meredith Centre, former Plus Project Director and now Path Deputy Director for malaria and NTDs; Prof Matt Chico, LSHTM Plus Project;  Lilly Claire, the Plus Project Regional Technical Advisor and Cameroon Country Lead; Dr Jacques Kouakou, the Plus Project Deputy Project Director; and Dr Jane Grant, LSHTM Plus Project<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photo credit: Henry Ntuku, PATH, member of the PMC Community of Practice<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opening Day <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ahead of the welcoming plenary in the evening, the RBM Partnership to End Malaria and Medicines for Malaria Ventures (MMV) held two workshops focused on gender equality and malaria. These discussions championed women and elevated the importance of community participation and co-creation as key components of gender equity to ensure identification of local solutions in the context of those communities. The Plus Project is equally committed to gender-conscious and socially inclusive solutions for sustainability. Early on, the project conducted a gender analysis<\/a> to identify critical insights into gender norms, barriers, and opportunities across the project\u2019s focus countries. Using the results from this analysis, the team adopted a multifaceted approach to mitigate the effects of gender and social inclusion on health outcomes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later at the MIM welcoming plenary, the Plus Project joined attendees for a keynote address by the Honorable Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, Minister of Health for Rwanda. Dr. Nsanzimana\u2019s remarks underscored the importance of sustained commitment and innovative approaches in the fight against malaria, emphasizing the need for continued partnership and investment in research, prevention, and treatment strategies. His inspiring call was echoed among the audience, \u201cOur generation can end #malaria! Let’s keep fighting together to achieve a zero-malaria world, so that we do not pass the burden to our grandchildren.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo credit: <\/em>Multilateral Initiative on Malaria<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tuesday, April 23<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We hosted our first symposium of the week \u201cContext is everything: adapting national PMC strategies to community realities in Benin, Cameroon, C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire and Mozambique.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This symposium showed how the co-design process at the beginning of the Plus Project yielded aspirational delivery schedules anticipating the introduction of the Measles 2 vaccine and the routinization of vitamin A. As implementation progressed it became clear that fewer children attend EPI clinics in the second year of life than in the first, and that vitamin A is most often taken up through campaigns rather than through the EPI clinics. As a result, PMC needs to be coupled with EPI and vitamin A outreach strategies, looking for zero-dose children in the community and taking advantage of campaign opportunities to help children catch up. The Healthy Child Consultation in Mozambique provides an alternative approach that could be applicable in other countries with good community adherence to child growth monitoring appointments.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We were thrilled to welcome a full room including vital partners from national malaria programs, and hosted this session virtually on June 4th<\/sup><\/a> to share with those who were not able to attend MIM. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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(Panel L-R): Dr Junior Voundi Voundi, Chemoprevention Lead from NMCP Cameroon and co-chair of the PMC Community of Practice; Dr Jacques Kouakou, the Plus Project Deputy Project Director; and Lilly Claire, the Plus Project Regional Technical Advisor and Cameroon Country Lead<\/em>. Photo credit: Multilateral Initiative on Malaria<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Front row (L-R): Charlotte Eddis, Plus Project Director, PSI; Lilly Claire, the Plus Project Regional Technical Advisor and Cameroon Country Lead, PSI; Bienvenu Wakpo, Benin Country Lead, PSI<\/em>. Second row (L-R): Paul Bouanchaud, PSI Senior Research Advisor; Dr William Houndjo, NMCP Benin Chemoprevention Lead and PMC Community of Practice co-chair<\/em>. Photo credit: Multilateral Initiative on Malaria<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the evening, we hosted a special side meeting on PMC and malaria vaccine co-implementation on behalf of the PMC Community of Practice. This stakeholder discussion on co-implementation policy, research, and operational priorities was well attended, with presentations by Dr Jane Grant and Professor Roly Gosling of the Plus Project at LSHTM, Dr Mary Hamel the Malaria Vaccine Team Lead at WHO, and Dr Shalom Ndoula the EPI Program Coordinator at the Cameroon Ministry of Health. This was a follow up to a similar meeting at ASTMH in 2023.  A subset of the PMC Community of Practice (Jane Grant, Roly Gosling, Jayne Webster (Plus Project at LSHTM) and Henry Ntuku (PATH)) had distilled key questions from the participants of the ASTMH meeting to those with immediate need for answering and vital information for further investment in PMC and\/or co-implementation into a roadmap. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Prof Roly Gosling, LSHTM Plus Project Technical Director, presenting the roadmap on the co-implementation of SP and the malaria vaccine<\/em>. Photo credit: Multilateral Initiative on Malaria<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Dr Mary Hamel, Malaria Vaccine Team Lead at WHO, presenting to a well-attended special side meeting sponsored by the Plus Project<\/em>. Photo credit: PSI Plus Project<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wednesday, April 24<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We joined the plenary session on \u201cClimate Change and its Impact on Malaria Elimination\u201d\u202ffocused on how changing weather patterns influence malaria risk. There is a need to predict the direct impacts of pressure on malaria risk across southern, central, and east Africa and the potential amplification of indirect factors such as the effects by socioeconomic and how it hampers equitable development and disrupts malaria control and could ultimately amplify direct effects. PSI and the Plus Project are committed<\/a> to addressing challenges and pursuing solutions that live at the interaction of climate and health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo credit: Multilateral Initiative on Malaria<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thursday, April 25 (World Malaria Day)<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We joined the more than 1,500 scientists, policymakers, and advocates at MIM to celebrate World Malaria Day! This year\u2019s theme was \u201cAccelerating the fight against malaria for a more equitable world\u201d which was the red thread throughout all sessions at the conference. To mark the global celebration (and International Women\u2019s Day in March), we shared this video of mothers in Mozambique<\/a> that have joined together to walk hours to the nearest health facility to receive routine vaccinations, including SP for PMC, for their young children.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also gave three scientific presentations, one on diagnosis and treatment and three on chemoprevention: <\/p>\n\n\n\n