the malaria scorecard

April 19, 2007

Measuring progress promotes accountability and saves lives.

Last week, we described how the world is mobilizing against malaria. African governments and numerous private and public organizations are devoting unprecedented resources and attention to combating the disease.

But exactly how are they doing in saving lives and in improving health? Which tactics are proving most effective? How much progress is being made toward the goal, set by African leaders at a meeting in Abuja, Nigeria in 2000, to cut malaria deaths in half by the end of this decade?

Knowing the answers to these questions is essential to fighting a disease as persistent as malaria.

Despite being preventable and treatable, malaria kills more than 1 million people each year. The disease is transmitted from mosquitoes to humans and back again, so fighting it requires a coordinated approach that focuses not just on individuals, but on communities and populations.

Malaria thrives on disorganization, and defeating it requires an organized effort. For this reason, it is imperative that governments and donors join forces and hold each other accountable for action and results. The foundation of this collective commitment must be a common system of measuring and reporting results that reflects on-the-ground effectiveness. If you don't measure it, you can't manage it.

To this end, the World Bank has proposed a "Malaria Scorecard." Covering 20 African nations, it tracks data such as the percentage of children sleeping under insecticide-treated bed nets, children diagnosed and treated, and households using insecticide.

By showing the correlation between resources spent and results achieved, this scorecard will be a powerful tool in the fight against malaria. All partners in this important cause should adopt it.

ExxonMobil knows firsthand the burden malaria places on families, communities and economic development in Africa. We also know the benefits of performance metrics and accountability; they are core values we employ in running our own global business. We believe these core values can make a difference if applied to the business of fighting malaria.

On April 25th we observe Africa Malaria Day. In the run up to this date, ExxonMobil has devoted this space to the fight against malaria. We conclude our series next week with a view to the future — a future in which together we can force malaria into retreat.