APMEN Overview
[Name]
[Institution]
APMEN [Country Partner Representative, Country]
[Meeting Title]
[Meeting Location]
[Date]
Background – Elimination in the Asia Pacific
 1960s and 70s - Several countries in Asia Pacific Region achieved
and have since maintained a malaria free status, including: Hong
Kong, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, and Taiwan
 However, malaria remains a major problem for large parts of
the Region
 Fortunately, the last decade has seen a renewed commitment
to malaria control
 As a result of intensified control efforts and improving
socioeconomic conditions, many countries in the Asia Pacific
Region have made great strides and are now moving toward
elimination
Concept and Development of APMEN
 Remarkable progress made toward malaria elimination in Asia Pacific
countries, however efforts under-recognized and under-supported
 Limited venues for Asia Pacific countries and institutions to interact on
issues pertaining to malaria elimination
 Development of the Network in 2008
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Leadership of Sir Richard Feachem
UCSF Global Health Group (GHG)
University of Queensland
AusAID
WHO SEARO and WPRO
 Announcement of the Inaugural Meeting made by the then Australian
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd at the September 2008 United Nations
General Assembly meeting in New York
Inaugural Member Countries
Country Partners
Bhutan
China
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Indonesia
Malaysia
Philippines
Republic of Korea
Solomon Islands
Sri Lanka
Vanuatu
Other countries to be included as progress toward elimination is made.
APMEN Academic and Multilateral Agencies Partner
Institutions
Partner Institutions
ACTMalaria
Armed Forces Research Institute for Medical Science
(AFRIMS)
AusAID
Australian Army Malaria Institute (AAMI)
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Burnet Institute
Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta
Eijkman-Oxford Clinical Research Unit, Indonesia
Institute of Medical Research, Papua New Guinea
Karolinska Institutet
Malaria Atlas Project (MAP)
Menzies School of Health Research
Malaria Elimination Group (MEG)
Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV)
Pacific Malaria Initiative Support Centre (PacMISC)
Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM),
Philippines
Roll Back Malaria (RBM)
UNICEF
USAID, Regional Development Mission/Asia
University of Melbourne (Nossal Institute for Global
Health)
WorldWide Antimalarial Resistance Network
(WWARN)
WHO Partners
SEARO
WPRO
Global Malaria Programme (GMP)
APMEN Joint-Secretariat
School of Population Health, University of
Queensland
Global Health Group, University of California, San
Francisco
Inaugural Meeting
Brisbane, February 8-11, 2009
Exploring possibilities and agreeing on a common goal
Inaugural Meeting
 Brisbane, Australia, February 8-11, 2009
 Co-hosted by GHG in partnership with University of Queensland,
AusAID, and in close collaboration with WHO
 Shared successes and challenges
 Country Updates on progress toward elimination
 Presentations on core challenges for elimination – vivax
diagnostics and treatment, M&E, surveillance, mapping, vector
control
 Established core objectives and identified work stream initiatives for
the Network
 Australian government’s commitment to the Network was
underscored in the opening address given by Bob McMullan,
Australia’s Parliamentary Secretary for International Development
Assistance
Funding Secured November 2009
 AusAID funding for APMEN announced by Minister for Foreign
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Affairs and the Minister for Health and Ageing during a meeting
with Dr Margaret Chan, Director General of the World Health
Organization (WHO). 16/11/2009
Global Health Group component funded by the Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation
Dr. Maxine Whittaker component supported by University of
Queensland
Cost sharing for attendance at APMEN II requested of and provided
by various Partner Institutions
First APMEN work plan for 2010 approved in June 2010
APMEN II
Kandy, Sri Lanka, February 16-19, 2010
Laying the foundation for the Network – commencing activities
APMEN II
 Kandy, Sri Lanka, February 16-19, 2010
 Hosted by Sri Lankan Ministry of Health and APMEN
 Key achievements Of APMEN II meeting
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Shared successes and challenges
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Country Updates on progress toward elimination
Presentations on core challenges for elimination – vivax diagnostics
and treatment, M&E, surveillance, mapping, vector control
Established core objectives and identified work stream initiatives
for the Network
Information Sharing
Website • Translation • Annual Meetings and Study tours • Supporting others and Sharing Information
Share information and develop expert consensus on issues relating
to malaria elimination, in order to support policy and
decision making at the country level
2010 Progress – Information Sharing
 APMEN II meeting held in Kandy, Sri Lanka, included Vivax and Vector working
group meetings and a study tour
 www.apmen.org re branded and re structured is now providing a means of
communication among APMEN and with the larger malaria community, as well as
links to relevant country and regional resources
 Permanent website now hosted by UQ Secretariat
 Total of 2600 Visitors to the website since its re launch in March, 2010 with a total
of 10243 page visits
 National strategic plans from APMEN countries have been collected from some
network countries to be shared with others and help inform development of
guidelines
Building the Evidence Base
Case studies • Vivax Working Group • Vector Working Group • APMEN Research Grants Program
Support country decision making through building of the evidence base
for malaria elimination, with a particular focus on Plasmodium vivax
2010 Progress– Evidence Base
 The Vivax Working Group and Vector Control Working Group meetings
took place in conjunction with APMEN II in Kandy, Sri Lanka
 Objectives and Terms of Reference for both working groups were
drafted and agreed to by Network
 A case study on Sri Lanka’s malaria control and elimination program is
close to finalization
 A case study on Jiangsu Province’s use of mass primaquine began
2010 Progress– Evidence Base
 Vector Control Working Group commenced survey development
 Potential future case studies
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Brunei malaria elimination experience
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Cross-border collaborations –Bhutan/Assam, China/Myanmar
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Use of community health workers for malaria surveillance in remote areas,
Sabah, Malaysia
Research Grant Program: Round one (vivax)
 Managed by the Vivax Working Group Coordination Team, operational at
Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Australia
 Launched 25 June 2010
 16 pre-proposals submitted for a broad range of short–term operational
research
 Support in proposal writing and follow-up for methodological issues provided
by the staff as capacity building activity
 14 full proposals received for total of AUD$615,000
 Total funding for research grants AUD$340,000 to be awarded in late 2010,
early 2011.
Capacity Building
APMEN Fellowship Program and other activities
Increase expertise and capacity to carry out elimination activities
through guidance, training, and sharing of experiences
2010 APMEN Fellowship recipients
APMEN Fellowship Program
 Fellowship Program Objectives and TOR drafted and agreed to by Network
 Fellowship Program launched on World Malaria Day, 2010
 10 Fellowship Program applications received from 6 countries (including one
non-APMEN Country Partner application)
 5 Fellowships awarded (range of countries, topics and host institutions)
 Support in proposal writing, and follow-up for methodological issues provided
by the staff as capacity building activity
Leadership and Advocacy
Generate awareness • Garner support
Provide leadership and advocacy for malaria elimination in the region
by expanding international and domestic awareness,
funding, and support
2010 Progress– Advocacy
 APMEN and elimination efforts in the region becoming recognized among malaria
community and publicized in general public
 APMEN referred to in 4 publications
 Presentations and representation at meetings (MEG, ICOPA, JITMM)
 Continued support garnered from major donors, political leaders
 Developed APMEN advocacy strategy and work plan
 One page brochure developed
 Media coverage for annual meeting, Fellowship, Research Grants and Lancet
commentary
 Interest from various parties, including new countries (Thailand) and partner institutions
(LSHTM)
Emerging Priorities
Community • Cross Border • others emerging issues
Facilitate support for emerging priorities for malaria elimination
especially in the Asia Pacific Regions
2010 Progress– Emerging priorities
 Community participation and cross border group discussions at APMEN II
 Community forum on ACT Malaria website commenced
 Panning for literature review of role of community in elimination underway
 Cross-border & regional collaboration assistance provided to Bhutan
Governance and Secretariat
Coordination • Management • Funding • Linkages • Planning and Reporting
Provide a governance structure for the Network to support and
facilitate efficient and transparent management processes
as well as to enable the effective work of the Network
2010 Progress– Governance and Secretariat
 Governance structure drafts reviewed and edited with final
agreement from the network in April
 Joint-Secretariat:
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UQ and GHG Co-coordinators established
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Program manager and officer recruited at UQ Secretariat
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1 part time staff hired at the GHG Secretariat
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Vivax Working Group Coordinating Team – 3 staff mobilised
Important dates
Key Dates 2011
APMEN III Annual Business and Technical meeting
May 9 – 13, 2011 in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
2011 APMEN Research Grant Program
Round 2 – Vivax
2011 APMEN Fellowship applications open January