Health workers share frontline malaria experiences at Teach to Reach preview ahead of December special event On December 5, 2024, health workers from across Africa gathered for a special preview session focused on malaria as part of Teach to Reach 11, setting the stage for a major event on December 10 focused on uniting health workers to end malaria. The session, hosted by the Geneva Learning Foundation in partnership with the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, featured powerful firsthand accounts from health workers dealing with malaria in their communities. The preview session highlighted how climate change and severe weather events are intensifying malaria challenges in many regions. Maman Godiya, a UNICEF social behavioral change consultant in Sokoto, Nigeria, described a recent malaria outbreak following heavy rainfall and flooding. She noted that while free drugs and mosquito nets were distributed, insecurity and banditry prevented reaching some affected communities, leading to deaths from cerebral malaria. Margaret Nabagala Ntambazi, a public health specialist from Masaka City, Uganda, shared a recent case of a five-year-old child who required intensive care for severe malaria. In response, her team organized community dialogues about malaria prevention, particularly focusing on environmental factors like tall grass and maize cultivation that provide mosquito breeding grounds. She emphasized the need for proper use of insecticide-treated nets, noting that some community members were using them for other purposes like coffee drying or fishing. Joseph Ngougi, a community health officer from Muranga County, Kenya, described how malaria recently affected his wife so severely she required injectable treatment instead of oral medication. His experience highlighted that anyone can be affected by malaria, regardless of their health worker status or knowledge. Kingston Kufi Nyerere from Ghana's Mono East region shared a particularly poignant story about his pregnant sister who couldn't access Intermittent Preventive Treatment in Pregnancy (IPTp), leading to malaria infection and subsequent miscarriage. He emphasized the critical importance of both preventive treatment and insecticide-treated nets for pregnant women. The session concluded with Beri Ani Gariba, malaria monitoring and evaluation officer for Cameroon's Northwest region, describing his own recent bout with severe malaria that occurred despite his expertise and access to healthcare facilities. Looking ahead, the December 10 special event will explore deeper questions about access to malaria medicines and tests, prevention strategies for pregnant women, community mobilization successes, and the impact of weather changes on malaria transmission. The event builds on contributions from health workers across multiple countries including Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, DRC, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, India, Kenya, and Nigeria. The preview session demonstrated the Teach to Reach platform's ability to facilitate direct sharing of experiences among health workers, with over 15,000 health professionals registered for the broader event. Participants can access a full participant list and connect with colleagues working on similar challenges. Key themes emerging from the session included: - The intersection of climate change and malaria transmission - Challenges in reaching insecure areas - The importance of community education and proper use of preventive tools - The need for reliable access to treatments and preventive medicines - The particular vulnerability of pregnant women and children - The value of learning from peers' experiences and solutions The December 10 special event will continue these discussions, bringing together frontline health workers with national program managers and global partners to address these critical challenges in malaria control and elimination.
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