How can we Accelerate Programming for Malaria in Pregnancy?

Addressing malaria in pregnancy requires urgent attention to a number of issues. Key among these is assisting partnerships to support national policies and activities for increasing coverage of malaria prevention and care for pregnant women—with a focus on national guidance and standard operating procedures, facilitating coordination between the malaria and maternal health communities, information systems, commodities, and human resources. While there are numerous barriers at the national policy and program level that impact the delivery of malaria in pregnancy interventions, building strategic partnerships is one approach that will help the global health community to address the most critical barriers.

Ongoing efforts led by Roll Back Malaria and other groups of experts, including a diverse group from the maternal health and malaria communities that met recently in Istanbul, are committed to crafting a common vision. This vision starts with building consensus on strategies and guidance, global priority setting and communications. If, as a community, we can harmonize vertical programs and policies at the global, national, district, and facility levels and support champions for the cause, we will be an important step closer to reaching the goal of universal access to malaria prevention and care for all pregnant women.