Challenges in Communicating About Malaria

Two articles are summarised here based on conclusions from the Malaria Knowledge Programme (MKP) at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, in the United Kingdom. The first article, "Challenges in Communicating About Malaria" summarises a lunchtime discussion in April 2005 by Imelda Bates and Rachel Tolhurst from the MKP. At this meeting, Imelda and Rachel presented their analysis of the communication processes in four malaria research projects at district, institutional, national and international levels.



A key outcome from the discussion was the fact that networks, collaboration, cross-disciplinary research and exchanges all contribute to making health research communications more effective. Essential components are a team approach and trust as well as awareness about cultural factors that make people work with different timescales, constraints and purposes.



The authors point to several examples of different methods for communicating health research. HIV and AIDS programmes demonstrate the effectiveness of community participation over time - individuals affected by HIV and AIDS are the ones who maintain the pressure for change. With respect to influencing policy directly and indirectly, public debate is a useful way to draw attention to the issue. Bates and Tolhurst suggest another example of effective communications: developing networks of researchers by linking individuals and institutions to pool skills that are collectively essential in sustaining research and seeing it through into policy and practice.



In the other article, "Communicating Malaria Research," MKP describes how they work across disciplines and sectors to increase the impact of its research. In particular, it is helping improve the diagnosis of malaria; working to ensure community participation in locally driven initiatives; and drawing attention to ways that increase the resilience of people who are most vulnerable to the effects of malaria.



MKP increased the impact of its research on the emerging threat of urban malaria through linking policy makers, researchers and grassroots organisers at a workshop held in South Africa. The workshop brought together representatives from many different fields: mosquito control, epidemiology, medicine, social science, agriculture, water, sanitation and environment, non-governmental organisations and government bodies such as USAID. One of the workshop outcomes was an international network on the issue of urban malaria facilitating sharing of understanding and expertise. In this way, through networking and communication, they hope to be able to influence policy and practice to avert the potential increasing impact of malaria in urban areas.

Click here for the article entitled "Challenges in Communicating about Malaria".

Click here for the related article "Communicating Malaria Research".