Jakarta PRESS RELEASE

HRH PRINCESS ASTRID OF BELGIUM TO HIGHLIGHT FIGHT AGAINST MALARIA IN INDONESIA IN LEAD-UP TO WORLD MALARIA DAY 2012
Special Representative to the Roll Back Malaria Partnership visits malaria programs in Indonesia and urges greater regional commitment against malaria
11 April 2012 | Jakarta As part of her World Malaria Day activities, Her Royal Highness (HRH) Princess Astrid of Belgium, Special Representative to the Roll Back Malaria Partnership (RBM), will visit Singapore and Indonesia this April 10-15 to encourage greater commitment to global malaria control efforts. The Princess, who has served as Special Representative for RBM since 2007, will visit malaria research centers and meet with government officials and business leaders in Singapore before visiting the Republic of Indonesia to participate in a field visit and highlight the successes the government and partners have made in the fight against malaria. This visit comes just before groups around the world plan their annual celebration of World Malaria Day on April 25. Malaria is important to me because of its burden on the most vulnerable pregnant women and children, says HRH Princess Astrid. In my work with the RBM Partnership, Ive seen first-hand the complete devastation malaria imposes on communities. Ive also seen the incredible hope provided by simple, costeffective tools that prevent and treat infection and advance other development goals that will lift comminutes out of poverty. While in Indonesia (April 12-15), HRH Princess Astrid will help launch a national RBM Partnership with Vice President Boediono and the Minister of Health, Dr. Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih. She will also meet with officials as a representative of RBM to encourage continued national commitment and regional leadership against the treatable and preventable disease, and she will visit local malaria control programs in Bandar Lampung with the Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Adequate financing, effective partnership and strong political will from district, provincial and national leaders have allowed the government of Indonesia and partners to make promising progress against malaria in recent years. Since 2008 they have distributed more than 4 million insecticide-treated nets and increased access to the most effective anti-malarial drugs, resulting in a steady decline of malaria cases and death. Yet, Indonesia remains one of the highest malaria-burdened countries outside of Africa. While some islands work to maintain control and others move toward elimination, sustained investment through strong technical and political leadership will be crucial to ensure Indonesias existing malaria control strategy is translated into action. While weve seen progress against malaria in recent years, nearly 700,000 people around the world still die each year from this preventable and treatable disease, says Herv Verhoosel, Head of External Relations for RBM. With Asia accounting for the second highest malaria burden outside of Africa, the case of Indonesia highlights the importance of political leadership, available resources and effective partnership. As Indonesia launches their national RBM Partnership, the country is poised to maintain progress against their national malaria control strategy and is well positioned to lead regional efforts against malaria.

UN Information Centre in Jakarta I Menara Thamrin Building, 3A floor. Jl. M.H. Thamrin kav. 3, Jakarta 10250 INDONESIA Tel. (6221) 3983 1011/1013; Fax: (6221) 3983 1014; E-mail: unic-jakarta@unic-jakarta.org, http://www.unic-jakarta.org Facebook: http://on.fb.me/UNIC_Jakarta | Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/UNIC_Jakarta | YouTube: http://tiny.cc/UNIC_Jakarta

The fight against malaria has forged one of the most effective initiatives in global public health, under the leadership of the RBM Partnership, which has been highly successful in coordinating efforts and directing resources to where the need is greatest. With RBMs coordination, 43 malaria endemic countries worldwide have reported declines in malaria cases by 50% or more since 2000, and many have seen decreases in allcause child mortality. Yet much work remains. Despite advancements, malaria continues to infect 216 million people around the world each year. Before arriving in Indonesia, Princess Astrid will visit Singapore (April 10-12), where she will tour malaria research facilities at the National University of Singapore and the Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases. With the growing threat of emerging artemisinin resistance in the Asia-Pacific region, research to better understand the mechanisms of resistance and the development of next generation of antimalarial tools are paramount. In recent decades, many front-line antimalarials have been lost to resistance that developed in the Asia-Pacific region and spread to other continents. With no alternative available drugs in the market, a potential wide-spread resistance stands to unravel the hard-won gains achieved in recent years.

Media Contact: Mr. Trey Watkins, RBM, External Relations KWatkins@whoun.org, (m) +1 347 931 0667 *NOTE: Mr. Watkins will be in Indonesia and available for inquiries in advance of the delegations visit, beginning on 2 April. Mr. Watkins can be reached locally at the Ritz-Carlton, Mega Kuningan: (62-21) 2551 8888. Mr. Herv Verhoosel, RBM, Representative in New York and Head of External Relations HVerhoosel@whoun.org, (m) +1 917 345 5238
The Roll Back Malaria Partnership (RBM) is the global framework for coordinated action against malaria. Founded in 1998 by UNICEF, WHO, UNDP and the World Bank and strengthened by the expertise, resources and commitment of more than 500 partner organizations, RBM is a public-private partnership that facilitates the incubation of new ideas, lends support to innovative approaches, promotes high-level political commitment and keeps malaria high on the global agenda by enabling, harmonizing and amplifying partner-driven advocacy initiatives. RBM secures policy guidance and financial and technical support for control efforts in countries and monitors progress towards universal goals.

UN Information Centre in Jakarta I Menara Thamrin Building, 3A floor. Jl. M.H. Thamrin kav. 3, Jakarta 10250 INDONESIA Tel. (6221) 3983 1011/1013; Fax: (6221) 3983 1014; E-mail: unic-jakarta@unic-jakarta.org, http://www.unic-jakarta.org Facebook: http://on.fb.me/UNIC_Jakarta | Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/UNIC_Jakarta | YouTube: http://tiny.cc/UNIC_Jakarta