The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) issued its first-ever comprehensive guidance on how to use more than 240 essential medicines for treatment of children aged 12 and below on June 18th. The WHO Model Formulary for Children is based on information from around the world and provides standardized information on the recommended use, dosage, adverse effects and possible complications for medicines taken together.

“Without a global guide,” comments a WHO representative, “many health-care professionals have had to prescribe medicines based on very limited evidence.” In the United States we don’t often worry or think critically much about these issues because we trust our doctors for their high level of expertise and the wide network of medical information that is readily available. For the developing world, however, the WHO’s first-ever global formulary for treating children – even with drugs as simple as ibuprofen and other pain or fever medications – represents a huge positive step in building global health efficiency and effectiveness.

The ONE blog is highlighting the Faith Fellows conference call happening next week. You can call in and join the movement.

The African Leaders Malaria Alliance met yesterday in Ethiopia during a meeting of the African Union. From the UN News Centre:

“Dozens of African leaders met today in Ethiopia to tackle the challenges facing the continent in the effort to meet the United Nations target of ensuring universal access to malaria control measures by the end of this year.

Some 26 heads of State convened the first working session of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) during the annual African Union (AU) summit, which got under way yesterday in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa.

ALMA aims to defeat the disease, which accounts for over 25 per cent of all deaths of children under the age of five across Africa, affects over 50 million pregnant women and is responsible for 10 per cent of all maternal mortalities every year.

As much as 40 per cent of health-care spending in endemic countries goes on malaria, costing the continent around $12 billion a year, according to a press release issued by ALMA.

The 26-nation ALMA coalition said that in the past 12 months alone at least 90 million long-lasting, insecticidal mosquito nets were delivered in Africa, and overall 200 million such nets have been distributed to 400 million people in sub-Saharan Africa, where virtually all malaria deaths occur.”

For more click here.

Pooja Gupta over on the ONE blog recaps the recent UN report stating that the Millennium Development Goals have not realized enough progress to be accomplished by 2015.

With six years to go until the 2015 deadline to achieve most of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), not enough progress has been made toward reaching them, says the UN’s 2009 Millennium Development Goals Report. The global economic and food crises, as well as the growing effects of climate change have not only exacerbated the slow progress, but also threaten to reverse previously-gained successes.

One way to improve the progess of MDGs is to lift the burden of malaria off of economies and health systems across the globe. As malaria ceases to be an issue, governments, NGOs and family can focus on other concerns and improve their lives.

The G8 is conducting its 2009 Summit and in it, reaffirmed its commitment to help the poorest and most vulnerable populations around the world. 

The G8 also pledged to meet its prior commitment to provide $100 million dollars to purchase bednets as well as provide $60 Billion to fight infectious diseases. 

The U.N. Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Malaria, Ray Chambers had the following to say:

“At a critical moment in the global campaign against malaria, the G8′s reaffirmation of its commitment to fighting the disease adds greatly appreciated momentum to our collective efforts.  I look forward to continuing to work with the governments on fulfilling their 2008 pledge to supply 100 million lifesaving mosquito nets, so that together we can meet Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s goal of the universal provision of malaria control interventions by December 31, 2010.  In particular, I wish to thank the G8 for its recognition of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance, an organization that will prove absolutely essential in our shared mission to end deaths from this disease.”      

The G8 also placed emphasis on monitoring and tracking the progress of previous commitments and creating accountability for the implementation of those commitments.  Unfortunately, the G8 did not make any new pledges to aid Global Health but we welcome the affirmation that the G8 will meet all prior commitments to malaria, including supplying 100 million mosquito nets.