United, we can beat malaria

Football fans across the globe are preparing for what promises to be an extra special World Cup football (soccer) tournament—and one with a lifesaving mission. In 2010, the FIFA World Cup will be held in an African country, South Africa, for the first time. This is the same year chosen by the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership as the target for African nations to provide universal access to essential malaria control interventions, like insecticide-treated bednets and medicines. As football fans everywhere get ready to see which team will score the winning goal, a new partnership called United Against Malaria (UAM) will be working to achieve its own goal: leveraging the passion and energy of football fans to call global attention to the fight against malaria.

Supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UAM is a strong, diverse group of football players, nongovernmental organizations, foundations, governments, corporations, and champions—high visibility supporters of UAM’s work, like the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Malaria Ray Chambers, U.S. football player Landon Donovan, and actress Ashley Judd. These key players view UAM’s campaign and reaching the RBM 2010 malaria control goals as important steps in attaining the international target of reducing deaths from malaria to near zero by 2015. Footballs have been printed with the UAM logo, FOX Sports has created a special UAM video, and high-profile teams like FC Barcelona are joining the effort—all with the goal of raising awareness, renewing global commitments to ending malaria, and encouraging people living in malaria-endemic areas everywhere to sleep under a bednet at night.

In Zambia, UAM’s mission is being enthusiastically embraced by the country’s Ministry of Health and National Malaria Control Centre. The campaign was officially kicked off in the country in July by the Minister of Health, Hon. Kapembwa Simbao, and the captain of the national football team, Chris Katongo. Since then, three of the biggest consumer names have signed up to support the campaign—Shoprite, Manzi Valley, and Zambeef. You can help UAM’s mission by donating to the campaign or signing up to receive the latest news and action alerts. Be a part of the winning team that makes malaria history!

Founding partners of United Against Malaria include Comic Relief, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Malaria No More, the ONE Campaign, PATH, Population Services International, Roll Back Malaria, and the United Nations Foundation.

Photo courtesy of United Against Malaria.