Advancing Zambia's goal to end malaria, PATH receives new award from the President's Malaria Initiative
A new cooperative agreement will accelerate malaria burden reduction and elimination goals in Zambia.
Lusaka, Zambia - PATH is pleased to announce the President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) PAMO Plus, a 5-year, $36 million partnership with PMI—a joint collaboration between the U.S. Agency for International Development, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Department of Health and Human Services. PAMO Plus builds on the learning and momentum achieved from malaria control and elimination efforts in Zambia through the PATH-led PMI Program for the Advancement of Malaria Outcomes (PAMO).
While malaria mortality has drastically decreased in Zambia over the past decade, it is estimated that the country saw 2.6 million cases and nearly 8,000 deaths in 2019 (World Malaria Report 2020). The PAMO Plus partnership aims to reduce the number of deaths by half and incidence by two-thirds over the next five years in four focal provinces: Luapula, Northern, Muchinga, and Eastern by expanding access to malaria prevention, diagnosis, and treatment services using high-quality data to drive programming.
"This partnership has established a bold vision. I am thrilled for the opportunity to continue advancing the strides we have made against malaria in Zambia."
“Building the capacity at all levels of the health system, especially closer to communities to deliver proven interventions will greatly advance our progress towards elimination.”— Dr. Caroline Phiri-Chibawe, Chief of Party, PAMO Plus.
Guided by the National Malaria Elimination Strategic Plan, and with support of the End Malaria Council, PATH will lead PAMO Plus efforts to increase capacity of health facilities and community health workers, improve malaria surveillance data for effective, data-led decision-making, and increase the effectiveness and uptake of malaria control measures in targeted districts.
The Zambia Centre for Communications Programmes (ZCCP) and Jhpiego are key partners in PAMO Plus. ZCCP will lend their expertise in social and behavior change communication, and Jhpiego will provide technical assistance to strengthen case management and malaria in pregnancy activities.
Celebrating 15 years of PMI
When PMI was launched in 2005, its goal was to reduce malaria-related mortality by 50 percent across 15 high-burden countries in sub-Saharan Africa through a rapid scale-up of four proven and highly effective malaria prevention and treatment measures: insecticide-treated mosquito nets, indoor residual spraying, accurate diagnosis and prompt treatment with artemisinin-based combination therapies; and intermittent preventive treatment of pregnant women. This year, the global community celebrates PMI and the impact achieved during those 15 years. To date, PMI has contributed to saving seven million lives--most of the pregnant women and young children, in addition to preventing more than one billion malaria cases across the 27 supported countries.
This partnership through PAMO Plus will bolster PMI's commitments and help ensure that Zambians have improved access to prevention and treatment interventions required to end malaria.
About PATH
PATH is a global nonprofit dedicated to achieving health equity. With more than 40 years of experience forging multisector partnerships, and expertise in science, health, economics, technology, advocacy, and dozens of other specialties, PATH develops and scales innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing health challenges.