Bhubaneswar: Malaria No More (MNM) Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Health & Family Welfare department of the Odisha Government to eliminate malaria from the state.
MNM has been supporting the Odisha government since 2018 to strengthen the state’s malaria control and elimination program, offering technical, strategic, implementation, advocacy, and innovation support.
This new MoU marks the strength of the existing partnership between MNM and the Government of Odisha, with an extended partnership period of 5 years.
Over the next 5 years, MNM seeks to build on and enhance the previous MoU by expanding operational geography to cover additional parts of Koraput and Malkangiri – two of the most malaria-endemic districts of the country.
The tripartite partnership also included Prayatna, a grassroots organization that is the implementing and fiduciary partner of the MNM India program of Malaria No More.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Dr Ajit Kumar Mohanty, Special Secretary, Department of Health & Family Welfare, Director of Public Health Dr Niranjan Mishra, and Dr Shubhashisha Mohanty, JD and SPO, State NVBDCP, Government of Odisha, Anuradha Khanal, Director, Global Policy and Advocacy, Malaria No More; and Mr. Pratik Kumar, Country Director, Malaria No More.
Commenting on the partnership, Special Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Dr Ajit Mohanty said “This partnership will further accelerate the malaria elimination drive initiated by the Odisha government.
Director of Public Health Dr Niranjan Mishra said Malaria No More has been a credible partner to the Odisha government since 2018 and their support in Malaria Elimination is very much appreciated, particularly in high endemic southern districts.
Anuradha Khanal, Director Global Policy and Advocacy, Malaria No More said India will pave the way for global malaria elimination solutions, as it has in the past for diseases like polio.
Odisha being one of the highest malaria endemic states of the country, will be critical in achieving this effort. The extension of our existing partnership with the government of Odisha will further our ambition and help us support India’s aspiration of eliminating malaria from the country by 2030.”
Malaria No More India Country Director Pratik Kumar said “We are honored to continue the collaboration with the Odisha government in this critical effort to eliminate malaria from the state”.
UNI
