PMI is a shining example of the profound impact the U.S. is making in global health. A recent external review of the first five years of its work shows substantial progress toward PMI’s goal of cutting malaria deaths by half in 15 African countries. According to evaluators, PMI is well-positioned to expand the U.S. government’s (USG) malaria control efforts moving forward. The report lays out PMI’s key strengths:
· Effective leadership, strong management, and bipartisan support: Evaluators found the PMI team has done a remarkable job using the initial PEPFAR and the subsequent Lantos-Hyde Authorization Act make substantive and substantial contributions to the global response to malaria. They quickly re-oriented the once problematic USG malaria program, took it to a large scale quickly, efficiently and effectively complemented the larger global malaria program—ultimately contributing to a significant reduction in child deaths.
· An integral partner in the field: Recognizing that country leadership is the key to sustaining gains against malaria, PMI has operated under the direction of national programs. Reinforcing the importance of national ownership, PMI supports national entities so they can assume responsibility effectively, by helping to develop strong control systems, accountability measures, and logistical support into the national infrastructure when needed. National Malaria Control managers have called the PMI approach “flexible,” “inclusive in designing its approaches,” and “receptive.” Global Fund personnel have praised PMI’s ability to assist them in maintaining country program efforts.
The evaluation also offered recommendations as PMI plans for the future, and the simplest recommendation is also the most emblematic of the program’s success: PMI should expand. According to the evaluators, PMI has been so successful that the natural next step is to expand its financial resources and geographic reach to sustain and build on this progress. The results it has achieved and the growing financial constraints other malaria partners will face in the years ahead, point to a clear need for a continued and expanded PMI.
PMI’s strategy is also in line with the new roadmap released through the USAID Child Survival Call to Action, a country-led approach to ending preventable child deaths. Malaria is one of the five health conditions globally responsible for 50 percent of all mortality under age 5, and the Call to Action describes the need to save lives by scaling up known solutions in high-burden areas. To heed this call, PMI will require continued commitment and support.
There is much work to do, and there will be more challenges on the road to eliminating malaria. Mosquito behavior can change. The malaria parasite could become resistant to available drugs. PMI must have sustained political and financial support to adapt to these potential challenges and be ready to face them with new strategies and interventions.
Now more than ever, we must build on PMI’s success and expand its reach so it can help high-burden countries carry their recent gains into the next decade. Economists and health experts agree that malaria control is one of the best investments that can be made in global health and development. We must employ multiple program approaches in the fight to eliminate malaria —and PMI is one of our best.
Dr. Campbell is director of the Malaria Control Program, PATH, based in Seattle, Washington. Dr. Simon is chair of the Department of International Health, director of the Center for Global Health and Development, and professor of International Health, Boston University School of Public Health