Rotary International, in collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and World Vision, has announced a $30 million initiative aimed at combating the deadliest diseases in four African countries, including Nigeria.
The funding, as part of the “Rotary Healthy Communities Challenge,” will focus on strengthening health systems and addressing leading childhood killers such as malaria, pneumonia, and diarrheal diseases.
In a statement distributed by Ibim Semenitari from Rotary’s communications unit and endorsed by Claudia Brunner of Rotary International, Nicole Harris of World Vision, and leadership from the Gates Foundation, the program aims to significantly improve health outcomes for children in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mozambique, Nigeria, and Zambia over the next three years.
The statement highlighted the ongoing challenge posed by these diseases despite significant progress in recent years. Malaria, pneumonia, and diarrheal diseases continue to be leading causes of illness and death among children under five in sub-Saharan Africa. The new initiative will leverage the collective expertise and resources of Rotary, the Gates Foundation, and World Vision to deliver sustainable disease prevention and treatment solutions.
“Rotary is committed to strengthening health systems and combating diseases by empowering communities to use locally driven solutions that work,” said Rotary International President Gordon McInally. “Together, with the Gates Foundation and World Vision, we will invest in proven methods to help communities provide a healthier and more hopeful future in which everyone will have the opportunity to thrive.”
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The program will focus on increasing the capacity of community health workers to ensure the sustainability of health interventions. The selection of the four participating countries was based on factors such as disease burden, Rotary member engagement, partnership potential, and alignment with Ministry of Health strategies.
Rotary members in each of the participating countries have worked closely with local partners and health ministries to develop tailored implementation plans. These plans use an evidence-based community health worker model adapted to each country’s specific health priorities.
“Investing in community health workers is one of the best things we can do to bolster the fight against malaria and other preventable diseases,” said Philip Welkhoff, Director of Malaria at the Gates Foundation. “We are proud to build on our partnership with Rotary and World Vision and are confident this new initiative will help ensure that children in these four countries have the opportunity to grow up healthy and reach their full potential.”
The “Rotary Healthy Communities Challenge” builds on the success of the “Partners for a Malaria-Free Zambia” program, which saw significant reductions in malaria incidence through community health worker support. With contributions from the Rotary Foundation, World Vision USA, and the Gates Foundation, the program added 2,500 community health workers to Zambia’s national health system, benefiting over 1.3 million people.
Edgar Sandoval Sr., World Vision President and CEO, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating, “It’s an honor to collaborate with the Rotary Foundation and the Gates Foundation to tackle these top killers of children. When partners join together, we can have a greater impact on helping the most vulnerable reach their full God-given potential.”
Over the past century, The Rotary Foundation has awarded $5.5 billion to support meaningful and impactful service projects worldwide. This latest initiative represents a significant step forward in addressing some of the most pressing health challenges facing children in sub-Saharan Africa.
