The Drive Against Malaria began in 1998 to help bring international attention to the biggest killer of children under the age of five years. Malaria is preventable and curable, yet at endemic levels in the world’s poorest countries of Africa. David Robertson is attempting to drive his Land Rover Defender through all African countries to deliver long lasting mosquito nets with anti malaria treatment to the most remote corners of Africa in his Land Rover Defender.  This mosquito born disease effects 40% of the world’s population in over 100 countries, yet little money is spent on prevention, research, education or treatment.

David has covered 151,000 km's through 60 countries and is accompanied by Dutch television presenter Julia Samuel who documents every mile of this epic journey to produces television documentaries about the Drive Against Malaria. Narrated by Jon Snow, the first three parts of the documentary called “Challenge Africa” were shown on British television to coincide with the G8 summit Edinburgh, July 2005.

CONGO DRC

On September 19th 2007 Drive Against Malaria will join forces with UNICEF, WHO, PSI/ASF, AXxes, MOH, USAID, DFID, UN Foundation and The Government of Japan, to help distribute and hang some of the half million Long Lasting Nets to South Kivu in the east of DRC (Zaire), as two in five babies die of malaria. The Drive Against Malaria will then continues to Congo Brazzaville, Gabon, Equatorial Guanine and Cameroon.

CARAVANA PELA VIDA

Four days before African Malária Day, the Drive Against Malaria, started celebrating Africa Malaria Day in Angola with "A Caravana Pela Vida" = The Caravan for Life.

"A Caravana Pela Vida" a multisectorial joint effort by the Ministry Of Health-NMCP, RBM, UNICEF,WHO, CICCI and the Drive Against Malaria.

Luanda to Bengo(Catete), Kwanza Norte (Dondo & N´Dalatando), Malange (Lombe Village), and Lunda Norte(Xa Muteba). In 5 of the 18 Provinces in Angola).

The whole convoy and distribution operation is supported by the Global Fund, USAID, PMI, MoH-NMCP, PSI, ExxonMobil, WHO, UNICEF, UNDP, CICCI.

27,600 LLIN’s (Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets) to the central –eastern provinces

The convoy consisted of ten 4X4’s and two 40 foot trucks carrying 27,600 LLIN’s, 20.000 ACTs = effective combination treatments, microscopes, RDTs-Rapid Diagnosis Kits, Insecticide Spray Appliances (for indoor and outdoor spraying) and generators distributed to health centres and hospitals.

The main target groups: pregnant woman and children under the age of 5, during a five day journey to the central and eastern provinces of Angola; Bengo, Kwanza Norte, Malange and Lunda Norte.

The Caravana Pela Vida is a yearly event often done in combination with the African Malaria Day and the selection of these areas were due to the past few months, these provinces were extensively flooded with to heavy rains. The flood victims need all possible support to combat malaria, and this distribution was specifically to them, as a supplement of ongoing distribution of the partnership.

A Caravana Pela Vida is a very good example of different partners, including UN, NGOs, the public - and the private sector of working together. To go into the field together, and fight the biggest killer of young children in Africa and Angola.  What we achieved here, to help prevent at least 27,600 children from Malaria, is a good proof of a successful joint effort.

REACTION OF THE VILLAGE PEOPLE

The people in the communities were very excited.  After of 27 years of war behind, and the floods in the last few months, the people feel neglected.  "A Caravana Pela Vida" gave the support and attention they deserve in the fight against Malaria.

Even though distribution of LLINs is greatly increasing in the last years (with the support of MoH, the Global Fund and PMI, 800.000 LLIN were distributed in Angola in 2006),  Many villages and areas don’t always have access to nets.  “A Caravana Pela Vida” changed this.  The communities are very thankful to receive the nets.

25 APRIL: AFRICA MALARIA DAY

On 25th April the Minister of Health, American Ambassador, country representatives of UNICEF and WHO , the Governor of the Malange province, and all partners including the NGOs and the private sector, assembled in Lombe village of Malange to greet “A Caravana Pela Vida” and help distribute out more of the LLIN’s , ACT,s and demostrate IRS/ORS in a community outside the Provincial Capital Malange .

Activities in hospitals, official ceremonies, a play , dance and music events, including MIG, the excellent singer singing his Roll Back Malaria song.  Information activities and workshops about the use of mosquitonets and spraying in and out doors.

Julia Samuel had a direct line to the TV-studio in Press-centre Nieuwspoort in The Hague, and spoke with the Consul Of Angola about Africa Malaria Day in Angola.

Two weeks before AMD in Angola , Julia filmed the distribution of long lasting insecticidal mosquito nets, she had interviews about malaria with the Vice Minister of Health, the Ambassador of the USA, UK. The Netherlands, Portugal and Brazil. This video was send to The Netherlands via the Dutch embassy. During the live interview in the TV-studio in The Netherlands, the video was shown to the audience and the press in Europe. She said: “I think we come to an extreme important point to make a World Malaria Day.

Non-malaria-countries need to pay more attention to Malaria. Its is the number one killer of the children of Africa and causes an economic loss of 12 billion dollar a year in this continent.”

The Drive Against Malaria returned to Luanda on 29th of April with Julia Samuel and David Robertson handing out and hanging up a further 500 nets supplied by MSF.

Great Thanks to MoH-NMCP Angola, Esso Angola, PMI, The Global Fund, USAID, UNICEF, WHO and CICCI.

World Peace Day Celebrations South Kivu province DRC 21st September 2007. 600,000 long lasting mosquito nets were handed out to protect  600,000 children under the age of five years – partnership/funding UNICEF, USAID, Government of Japan, DFID, UN Foundation WHO, PSI/ASF, AXxes, MOH + Drive Against Malaria.

NEWS - ExxonMobil sponsor DAM $35,000,- for World Peace Day in DRC Congo,

The DRIVE AGAINST MALARIA  help to prevent malaria, by delivering long lasting mosquito nets to health centers, orphanages and rural villages across Africa. The nets are given free to families with young children and pregnant woman. Your help is requested to reduce malaria transmission, just $5.00 is needed to protect a family. $500.00 can protect a small villange.