Imagine No Malaria

Supporting UMC- affiliated programs in malaria education, prevention and treatment.

Malaria continues to remain a primary cause for hospitalization and one of the top killers of children under the age of 5 years and pregnant women in Africa. The World Health Organization estimates 2015 saw over 200 million new cases of malaria with nearly 90% of those cases in Africa; along with an estimated nearly 400,000 malaria deaths in Africa (WHO World Malaria Report 2015). Malaria control programs in each supported UMC Episcopal Area or Annual Conference are implemented by the health board, a management structure tasked with the responsibility of identifying and responding to health needs within the Episcopal Area or Annual Conference. Currently there are 13 UMC conference boards trained whose activities cover 16 countries primarily in Africa: Angola, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The UMC health facilities within these regions are struggling with the challenges of gaps in medicines and equipment, aging infrastructure, and outdated systems. Malaria programs are implemented through the extensive health network and infrastructure of the UMC and through partnerships with government and other non-profit organizations. INM programs focus on the most remote and impoverished places not served by governments or other NGOs. The aim is to reach the most at risk populations with women and children under 5 being priorities and linking those communities to health care.

In 2008, the United Methodist Church joined part of a global effort against malaria, embarking upon a $75,000,000 “Imagine No Malaria” fundraising campaign leveraging on the success of the Nothing But Nets partnership with United Nations Foundation (UNF). The United Methodist Church’s (UMC) Imagine No Malaria (INM) program is working together with UMC health boards in Sub-Saharan Africa to increase access to and utilization of malaria preventative measures, diagnosis, and treatment services. Our comprehensive approach to address malaria supports control measures to educate, prevent, and treat those communities in areas affected by malaria, as well as revitalize health facilities and support human resource development. Thirteen supported episcopal areas, annual conferences, and health boards receive funds and technical support to implement integrated malaria programs. INM along with other partners in the field have achieved some great successes over the past few years, although much still needs to be done.

Program goal: INM aims to achieve 20% reduction in malaria morbidity and mortality in the targeted communities over a five-year period. Program Objectives: By 2020 INM aims to increase access to and utilization of malaria preventive measures in targeted communities; and increase access to and utilization of malaria diagnosis and treatment services in targeted communities.