[The goals and tasks of the Roll Back Malaria WHO Cabinet Project].
WHO's Roll Back Malaria Cabinet Project (RBM) has been initiated by WHO Director-General Dr. G. Brundtland in 1998. The World Health Organization, The United Nation's Children's Fund, the United Nation's Development Programme and World Bank have joined forces to fight malaria, which kills more than one million people a year. RBM is being launched at time of growing and investment in malaria, which still remains grossly underfunded. RBM is different from previous efforts to fight malaria. The project is working not only through new tools for controlling the disease but also by involving and strengthening the health services to affected population. This pattern of activities is close to Russian version of malaria eradication programme that had been carried out with the success in the former Soviet Union in the 1950s. RBM seeks to reduce substantially the human suffering and economic losses due one of the most costly diseases. Malaria causes an estimated 300 to 500 million acute cases per year. Malaria is a disease of young and the poor, many of them children who live with no easy access to health service. RBM goal is a significant reduction--ideally halving within ten years--in the global burden of disease associated with malaria. RBM purpose is to create an environment that helps countries develop policies and implement relevant elements of RBM strategy. There are six elements to roll back malaria. They are: early detection of malaria illness; rapid treatment of those who are ill; multiple means for preventing infection; strengthening of health sector and intersectoral activities; a powerful sustained social involvement and movement; focused research for new tools and better implementation. New tools are available to combat malaria. They include among others: rapid diagnostics; new drugs (artesunates) and new means for delivery; impregnated bednets; new means for predicting epidemics (satellite mapping). WHO will be coordinating the RBM project. Endemic countries and affected populations have identified malaria as a priority health issue. Activities will cut across WHO programmes and regions to support government, to improve technical efficiency and capacity, to optimize resource allocation, utilization and mobilization.
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WHO, Geneva.
D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends; D014944:World Health Organization