U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative Expands to Sierra Leone
On Friday, November 17, Sierra Leone President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, and U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Maria E. Brewer, formally launched the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) in Sierra Leone.
“Today, we celebrate the new partnership between PMI and the Government of Sierra Leone. With the first year’s planned contribution of $15 million, PMI joins other donors and partners to expand access to proven and effective malaria prevention and control tools,” Ambassador Brewer said during the formal launch event.
Malaria is a public health challenge that the Government of Sierra Leone, the U.S. Government, and partners are united in fighting. Over 2 million outpatient visits are due to malaria every year in Sierra Leone, of which about a million patients are children under five years of age.
PMI will work together with the Government of Sierra Leone, under Ministry of Health and Sanitation and National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) leadership; and in collaboration with malaria stakeholders, to scale up a comprehensive, integrated package of life-saving interventions in communities. This includes both prevention (insecticide treated mosquito nets and indoor residual spraying) and control (diagnostics and treatment) interventions. PMI support includes mosquito surveillance, malaria case management, monitoring and evaluation of impact, and behavior change communication activities.
USAID Administer Mark Green announced the expansion of the President’s Malaria Initiative to Sierra Leone and four other countries at the UN General Assembly in September. With the addition of Sierra Leone and the other four new focus countries, PMI will have programs in 24 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Almost 90 million additional people at risk of malaria in West and Central Africa will benefit from this expansion.
Joining the launch event were members of the President’s cabinet, representatives of the U.S. government, local and international donors and organizations, and partners contributing to the elimination of malaria in Sierra Leone.
US Embassy, Sierra Leone
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