Ending Malaria for Good

Pictured above: Christopher Flowers, Co-Founder of the Isdell:Flowers Cross Border Malaria Initiative; The Minister of Health of Zambia, Dr. Joseph Kasonde; Bishop Cleophas Lunga of the Anglican Diocese of Matabeland; Neville Isdell, Co-Founder of the Isdell:Flowers Cross Border Malaria Initiative.

​On February 16th, the Isdell:Flowers Cross Border Malaria Initiative convened the 4th Annual Roundtable in Livingstone, Zambia, with the purpose of advancing malaria elimination in the cross border communities of Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola, and Namibia. 
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The Minister of Health of Zambia, Dr. Joseph Kasonde, formally opened the event, emphasizing the need for increased resources and cross border collaboration. “Malaria elimination efforts will be accelerated when we strengthen cross border collaboration and coordination,” said Minister Kaonde. “The development and availability of policies, strategies, and guidelines is important. However, policies and strategies in the absence of adequate resources will render all our elimination efforts futile.”

Throughout the three-day conference, malaria teams from the border communities, including members of the Anglican Church, and a broad range of non-profit, private, and government partners shared successes and challenges in malaria elimination, as well as new tools to address the disease.
 
The global drive to eliminate malaria within the next few decades requires effective coordination and communication across borders and among partners. Bishop Cleophas Lunga of the Anglican Diocese of Matabeland, who delivered the Morning Prayer, stressed the role of the Anglican Church in preventing malaria transmission within the region.
 
"The Anglican Church has a unique role to play in eliminating malaria within Zambia and the surrounding region," said Bishop Cleophas Lunga. "We know that Anglicans frequently cross borders to attend church. We are committed to working with partners from all sectors in order to defeat malaria. Doing so will ensure the health and spiritual needs of our communities."

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