Today, the Ifakara Health Institute team, led by the Chief Executive Director, Dr. Honorati Masanja, actively participated in the Malaria Operational Plan meeting in Dodoma, organized by the U.S. President's Malaria Initiative (PMI). 

Sarah-Blythe Ballard - President’s Malaria Initiative Resident Advisor in Tanzania led the PMI/United States Agency for International Development USAID team which included Dr. Anne Murphy, Naomi Serbantez, Albert Ikonje, Lulu Msangi, and Rosemary Mosha.

Attended by various @PMIgov implementing partners in Tanzania, the aim of the meeting was to review progress of malaria activities from the period October 2022 to September 2023 and identify priority activities for PMI funding for 2025.

Present were representatives of the Ministry of Health (MOH), President's Office - Regional Administration and Local Governments (PO-RALG), USAID, as well as research and academic institutions with a stake in implementing malaria activities in the country. 

The Shinda Malaria team members who joined Dr. Masanja at the meeting, include the project’s Chief of Party, Dr. Dunstan Bishanga, his deputy, Dr. Mwaka Kakolwa, TES Advisor, Dr. Kefas Mugittu, and senior researcher, Dr. Muhidini Mahende.

Ifakara and three other partners – two Tanzanian non-profit organizations and a small, woman-owned international business headquartered in Zambia – are implementing a program, named “Shinda Malaria” which supports the Government of Tanzania (GOT) in reducing malaria burden and in moving towards malaria elimination. 

About Shinda Malaria

The Shinda Malaria Activity – which is made possible by the support of the American people through the US President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) – is a five-year project which works with the GOT to reduce malaria burden and move towards the long-term goal of malaria elimination―while achieving USAID’s strategy to support institutional growth and capacity development for local institutions. 

The project seeks to address the urgent healthcare needs of malaria at-risk populations, especially vulnerable pregnant women and children under five, and support Tanzania partners to grow and execute malaria programs sustainably and successfully.

The general objective of the assistance is improving the health status of the Tanzanian people, with five specific objectives: improving case management and malaria in pregnancy (MIP) services; improving the ability of individuals to practice positive healthy behaviors; enhancing enabling environment; improving drug efficacy monitoring; and evaluating malaria programs and/or conducting operations research.

The Office of Acquisition and Assistance (OAA)/Tanzania officially announced the award to implement Shinda Malaria through Ifakara Health Institute as the main recipient on Wednesday, August 3rd 2022. 

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