ExxonMobil, GRS and partners announce new malaria prevention programme for Zambézia – Mozambique

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ExxonMobil, GRS and partners announce new malaria prevention programme for Zambézia – Mozambique

12:27 CAT | 26 Apr 2018

As part of World Malaria Day, celebrated every year on April 25, the ExxonMobill Foundation, in partnership with Grassroots Soccer, yesterday launched a programme of malaria prevention and intervention under the motto “Prepared to Beat Malaria” in the country’s capital, Maputo.

The event was held at the Campus of the Pedagogical University (UP) and attended by the Minister of Health, Nazira Abdula, Rector of the Pedagogical University, Jorge Ferrão, United States Ambassador, Dean Pittman, Director of Public and Governmental Affairs for Exxon Mobil, Fernando Pegado, representatives of the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the Tchova Tchova Communication Programme, along with students, residents and local leaders.

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The multinational marked the occasion by announcing a grant of US$150,000 for Grassroots Soccer and local partners to implement malaria prevention interventions in Zambézia province.

The funds will be used to support the activities of Grassroots Soccer, an adolescent and youth health organisation, to leverage the power of sports in youth education, as well as to support malaria prevention activities and, more broadly, mobilise and inspire youngsters to have a healthier, more productive life as well as to be agents of change within their communities.

During 2017, Mozambique registered a 17 percent increase in malaria cases, up to 9,981,277 diagnosed cases from 8,520,376 in 2016, Minister Abdula reported.

“Manica, Tete, Gaza and Inhambane provinces had the highest rates of the disease. Despite the increase in registered cases in 2017, there was a reduction in the number of deaths – 1,114 deaths against 1,685 in 2016. The numbers represent a reduction of 33 percent,” the minister said.

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To combat these high rates, the programme will be implemented in three Zambezia districts: Quelimane, Mocuba and Nicoadala. This implementation will be carried out in partnership with the National Malaria Control Program and the Tchova Tchova Communication Programme, a local organisation affiliated with the Communication Programmes Centre at Johns Hopkins University.

“For about 18 years, ExxonMobil has been committed to reducing the global burden of malaria. We believe that a world free of malaria is within our reach and we are proud to showcase our efforts to prevent, treat and eliminate the disease in Mozambique,” said Jos Evens, General Manager of ExxonMobil Mozambique Limited.

In addition to a demonstration of the prevention and intervention programme and a blood donation session, the foundation delivered approximately 200 mosquito nets to students at São José Primary School.

As part of its global malaria initiative, ExxonMobil establishes strategic partnerships to promote education, training, prevention, diagnosis and control, research and development, as well as supporting the next generations of health ambassadors. Since 2000, it has invested around US$170 million in the worldwide fight against malaria.

ExxonMobil recently received the Champion in Sustainability Malaria Programming award in recognition of its contributions to the fight against malaria in Africa. The award was presented at the West African Corporate Malaria Award Ceremony, which recognises private sector companies that take extraordinary steps to protect their employees and communities from the disease.

Source: Press Release