Roll Back Malaria

Roll Back Malaria is an initiative intended to halve the suffering caused by this disease by 2010. The initiative is being developed as a social movement. Action is directed by national authorities backed by a global partnership which consists of development agencies, banks, private sector groups and researchers. The World Health Organization, the World Bank, UNICEF and UNDP founded the partnership in October 1998. The WHO has established a new Cabinet Project, and a WHO-wide strategy and workplan, to support the partnership. High quality, practical, consistent and relevant technical advice is made available through networks of experts based in research, academic, and disease control institutions, particularly those in endemic countries. The initiative also supports research and development of new products and tools to control malaria. Implementation of Roll Back Malaria began with a series of in-country consultations in 1998, followed by sub-regional consensus building and inception meetings. The current period is one of momentum building at country level during which national authorities are developing their own strategies with the global partners. It is anticipated that, during the year 2000, RBM movements will become active in at least 30 countries.