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Collaborating in the Fight against Malaria: United Methodists in Africa to Play Expanded Roles |
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New York, NY, April 15, 2008 -- United Methodist health institutions in parts of Africa will play enlarged roles in the fight against malaria as they gain capacity through a unique anti-malaria alliance that includes The United Methodist Church and the popular Nothing But Nets campaign. Plans in Angola, Cote d'Ivoire, and Mozambique, along with a successfully completed program in Zimbabwe, were included in an oral report made by a top UN Foundation officer to the top staff of the General Board of Global Ministries, the international United Methodist mission agency. Elizabeth McKee Gore, executive director of the foundation's Partnership Alliances, and Sarah E. Schiavetti, a fund-raising consultant, met for several hours with the mission leaders. The visit was an opportunity for the full cabinet of Global Ministries to hear the full malaria alliance story and to affirm the agency's enthusiastic participation in a range of malaria prevention and treatment efforts, including Nothing But Nets. Bishop Felton E. May, interim general secretary (chief executive) of Global Ministries was host. United Methodist Communications (UMCOM) and the Council of Bishops are also major promoters of Nothing But Nets and in efforts to enlarge the United Methodist role in malaria control and treatment. At present, Sports Illustrated magazine and the National Basketball Association are also partners in Nothing But Nets. UMCOM played a significant role in bringing The United Methodist Church into the malaria alliance with the UN Foundation. United Methodist contributions to Nothing But Nets can be channeled through The Advance for Christ and His Church, the denomination's designated mission giving program. Global Ministries is in the process of preparing a report on Nothing But Nets' work in 2007 and a letter of appreciation for the more than four thousand donors through The Advance. The UN Foundation and Global Ministries do more than distribute nets in the fight against malaria. Nothing But Nets links nets to the inoculation of children against measles and polio. It also trains health workers to carry out various aspects of the initiatives. For example, in Zimbabwe, working with the United Methodist-related Africa University, 200 clergy were certified last year as health workers. The nets effort in Zimbabwe was carried out in partnership with the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference. "Make Malaria History," a Global Ministries program begun in 2005, also provides community-based training in malaria prevention and treatment. It primarily works in areas not covered by Nothing But Nets. In 2007, Nothing But Nets distributed 719,812 nets in seven African countries; Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Mali, Nigeria, the Republic of Congo, and Zimbabwe. Ms. Gore told the mission executives that United Methodist hospitals and clinics will play major roles in a new Nothing But Nets program in Cote d'Ivoire, which is a ministry in partnership with the Texas Annual Conference led by Bishop Janice Huie. Ms. Gore said that The United Methodist Church in Cote d'Ivoire has a deep commitment to the people and to areas underserved by the health system. She, Bishop Huie, and Shawn Bakker, director of the Advance, visited Cote d'Ivoire last year in preparation for the malaria project there. Annual conferences frequently take collaborative roles in Nothing But Nets projects and these may be targeted to particular annual conferences in Africa. Ms. Gore said that such partnership requires a minimum contribution of $50,000. National health ministries and other health organizations, such as the enormously successful Measles Project, are also involved. Nets cost $10 and requests for distributions in small numbers to stipulated places are often referred to the Global Ministries "Make Malaria History" program. Several annual conferences in the United States are part of a Nothing But Nets initiative expected to get underway in Angola this year. In Mozambique an interfaith coalition, which includes both Bishop João Somane Machado and the Global Ministries agency, is working with the UN Foundation program, which also has US annual conference support. In reflecting on the meeting with Ms. Gore, Bishop May noted the importance of visiting informally and at length with mission partners so that everyone is kept up to date on accomplishments and plans. Additional Information:
Date posted: Apr 15, 2008 |
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