The Strategic Framework for Malaria Communication at the Country Level 2012–2017

This document, published by the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, outlines priorities for strengthening country capacity, honing programme strategies, and sharing best practices of evidence-based communication as part of the Partnership's work to control, eliminate, and ultimately eradicate malaria. According to the document, systematic communication to bring about sustained changes in social norms and behaviours is increasingly understood as integral to malaria control programmes. While there have been great successes, it is argued that there is now a need to focus on ensuring that evidence-based communication is positioned as a core component of global and national malaria control policy and is allocated the resources necessary to contribute to health impact. This document charts a Strategic Framework for ensuring that communication is placed high on the agendas of malaria policy makers and national malaria control strategies in line with the Global Malaria Action Plan (GMAP).

The report looks at the increasing wealth of experience pointing to the importance of communication as core part of programming. For example, results from Senegal indicate that intensified communication interventions and major nationwide advocacy efforts (coupled with an expansion of bed net distribution, introduction of rapid diagnostic testing, and health system strengthening) contributed to a 30% reduction in under-five mortality since 2001, saving more than 26,800 children. Other countries are also demonstrating the value of communication in mobilising political support, improving interactions between caregivers and health workers, and engaging local leaders and communities in malaria prevention and treatment strategies.

A number of persisting challenges are outlined. These include how to: improve the acceptance and use of longlasting insecticide treated bed nets and indoor residual spraying, strengthen a culture of malaria prevention and treatment-seeking behaviour, improve early treatment seeking and compliance, mobilise political commitment and resources, and accelerate access to and demand for intermittent preventive treatment for pregnant women.

The report outlines four principles of effective communication programmes:

• Effective Communication is a Systematic and Evidence-based Process - Effective communication programmes are described as evidence-based because they build on research with the target audience. Data are collected at various points to ensure approaches are unfolding as planned and objectives are met.
• Effective Communication is Theory-based - Effective communication programmes are based on explicit theories of how change will occur. In other words, they propose some logical process of cause and effect.
• Effective Communication is System-based - Effective communication programmes are based on analysis of the context in which change takes place. Efforts usually need to be designed for several levels. Effective programmes also look at the need for improving relationships across different levels of the system.
• Effective Communication Utilises Appropriate Approaches - In effective communication programmes, decisions about audiences and behaviors influence the types of communication approaches that will be appropriate. Multiple approaches are usually necessary to reach different audiences and create change at several levels in order to achieve a specific outcome. Approaches include the use of advocacy, behaviour change communication, community and social mobilisation, and social marketing.

There are several complementary processes outlined to improve the status of effective communication within malaria control programmes; ensure that communication becomes an integral element of prevention and treatment efforts; increase the overall effectiveness of communication programmes; and contribute to the building of an essential evidence base and sharing of best practices. These include:

• ensure political commitment;
• improve capacity and coordination at the country level;
• build a community of practice in communication for malaria;
• incorporate systematic communication in country malaria programmes;
• improve the evidence base through an operational research agenda; and
• establish an RBM Communication Working Group.

The Strategic Framework describes complementary processes needed to improve the contribution of communication to malaria control. It seeks to mobilise partners in the malaria community to take the following key actions:

• advocate for systems and programmes that ensure communication is positioned appropriately within the global RBM Partnership;
• ensure all national malaria control programme communication strategies are context-appropriate, evidence-based, and results-driven;
• foster capacity building in communication planning, management, and evaluation at the global, regional, national, and subnational levels;
• invest adequate resources to ensure communication interventions achieve measurable results at the country level; and
• expand the evidence base demonstrating the impact of communication interventions on social and behavioural change and thus contribute to the reduction of the burden of malaria.

Click here to download the full report in PDF format (English).
Click here to download the full report in PDF format (French).
Click here to download the full report in PDF format (Portuguese).