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After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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Voices for a Malaria-Free Future Ghana

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Voices for a Malaria-Free Future Ghana, in partnership with the National Malaria Control Program and Communication Initiatives for Change, raises awareness at the national and community level around issues such as access to insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), provision of intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) for pregnant women, drug resistance, and pesticides used in indoor residual spraying (IRS). In Ghana, the programme aims to mobilise leadership in government and civil society to be involved in malaria programmes, enhance district-level advocacy, improve policy dissemination and reduce barriers to policy implementation, and advocate for increased funding for malaria in the country.
Communication Strategies

The Voices for a Malaria-Free Future project in Ghana involves the following communication activities:

Print Materials - Voices has developed 3 key print materials to support advocacy efforts aimed at leaders at national and district levels: the Ghana Malaria Advocacy Guide [PDF] , the Guide to the use of One Percent District Assembly Common Fund for Malaria [PDF] and the Nine Steps District Malaria Advocacy Model [PDF].

They have also developed a series of posters entitled "Use Your Power to Fight Malaria" that intend to encourage people to use anti-malarial measures, a malaria resource map that highlights malaria funds and resource needs by district, and a newsletter, "Malaria Action Alert", which provides information about malaria in Ghana and what people can do to prevent and treat it.

Television and Radio - Voices for a Malaria-Free Future has produced radio and television spots which are broadcast on national television and national and community radio stations. They have also created 6-minute documentaries and an advocacy song and music video. Click here to access the video documentaries, the TV spots, and the advocacy song.

Advocacy - The project also formed and trained eight District-level Malaria Advocacy Teams (DMATs) who conduct advocacy around the implementation of malaria control activities.

Development Issues

Malaria, Health

Key Points

Voices for a Malaria-Free Future is also conducting similar work in Mali, Uganda, and Tanzania. Campaigns in those countries include television and radio spots, original music, fact sheets, newsletters, and the development of advocacy programmes designed to educate decision-makers and elected officials about their role in ending malaria.

According to Ghana's Ministry of Health and National Malaria Control Program, more than 2.8 million cases of malaria were reported in 2002, with 966,923 of those occurring in children under 5 years old. Malaria is responsible for 44% of outpatient clinical visits in Ghana, and one in five deaths is from malaria among children under 5 years old.

Partners

Ghana Health Services, Roll Back Malaria Partnership; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Communications Programmes; Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis; US President's Malaria Initiative; European Alliance Against Malaria; World Health Organization (WHO); United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF); the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID); and the Ghana Football Association.

Sources

Voices for a Malaria Free Future website on August 1 2008 and March 2 2010; and email from Claudia Vondrasek to The Communication Initiative on March 5 2010. Image credit: Bonnie Gillespie, Voices for a Malaria Free Future

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