Jessica Uno is winner of the World Briefing: Telling the Malaria Contest co-sponsored by Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation and Malaria No More. Her winning essay earned her a trip to cover the MIM Pan-African Malaria Conference in Kenya and report back on the latest in the global effort to end malaria.

I am fortunate to be at this conference attending fascinating presentations and meeting so many incredible players on the malaria scene. The opportunity to  learn about their experiences and motivations has taught me so much about malaria in just a few days.

One of the first admirable individuals I interviewed was Caterina Capaccioli, head of Strategic Planning & Execution, Malaria Initiatives at Novartis. Caterina introduced me to the role that collaboration among different organizations—corporations, non profits, African miniseries of health and others—have played in successfully reducing the malaria burden. For example, Novartis has worked closely with the Chinese government to develop effective innovations.  Another example  is the partnership between organizations like Malaria No More who help distribute mosquito nets and those who produce and distribute antimalarial treatments, pairing prevention and treatment. One major advantage to such collaborations is the greater number of skills and resources available to unite against malaria.

Combining unique specialties among partners is necessary when facing the constantly evolving malaria threat. A united front is much stronger and efficient than many  individual effort!

Jessica’s trip to Kenya was supported by Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation and Malaria No More.

Tags: Guest Post, Jessica Uno, MIM Conference, World Briefing

Tags: Guest Post, Jessica Uno, MIM Conference, World Briefing
Categories:Jessica Uno: World Briefing Report, On-The-Ground, Partners