Texas – ExxonMobil has officially announced $10 million in new grants to mark World Malaria Day, continuing the company’s 15-year commitment to fighting a disease that is preventable and treatable, yet still kills more than half a million people annually.
This year’s grants from ExxonMobil and the ExxonMobil Foundation support a range of research, education, advocacy and treatment programs to reduce the human and economic toll of malaria. Several grants focus on developing leadership and health workforce capacity in countries and communities that lack adequate health systems to combat malaria and other health challenges.
“For 15 years, ExxonMobil has been a proud partner in the effort to create a future free of malaria,” said Suzanne McCarron, general manager of public and government affairs, ExxonMobil, and president of the ExxonMobil Foundation. “We are committed to investing in the tools, knowledge and human capacity that will allow us to combat and eventually eliminate the disease. Now more than ever, it is clear that strengthening health systems is essential to achieving that goal.”
ExxonMobil’s support for the fight against malaria includes investments in people who tackle the disease from all angles. In addition to delivering millions of bed nets, diagnostics and drugs, ExxonMobil and its partners have trained nearly 500,000 health workers to keep at-risk communities vigilant against the disease. ExxonMobil also funds organizations engaged in research to address the growing challenge of antimalarial drug and insecticide resistance and accelerate the development of new treatments. To cultivate the next generation of leaders to take on malaria, ExxonMobil supports education and training opportunities for young people with a passion for global health.
“Malaria is a complex challenge, and a strong multidisciplinary approach is key to driving progress against the disease,” said Professor Andrew Hamilton, Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University. “Since 2011, ExxonMobil has supported Oxford scholarships that prepare bright young minds from around the world to tackle pressing global health challenges, including malaria. This commitment to fostering tomorrow’s leaders is invaluable.”
ExxonMobil’s 2015 malaria grantees working to strengthen health capacity to address malaria include:
- Worldwide Antimalarial Resistance Network, to further research on the emergence of antimalarial drug resistance and facilitate global collaboration among scientists tracking its spread.
- Africare, to train and support community volunteers and health care workers to conduct house-to-house visits to discuss malaria prevention.
- Oxford University, to provide scholarships for promising young health leaders to pursue a Master of Science in International Health and Tropical Medicine.
- Jhpiego, to strengthen the ability of health providers and community volunteers to prevent and treat malaria, particularly among pregnant women.
- Grassroot Soccer, to use the convening power of soccer to engage and educate young people about malaria and other health issues.
- Seed Global Health, to place medical volunteers in underserved settings to help train the next generation of health professionals.
Other 2015 grant recipients include Accordia Global Health Foundation; Cameroon Business Coalition against Malaria, Tuberculosis and AIDS; Global Health Corps; Harvard School of Public Health; Medicines for Malaria Venture; Malaria No More; The Mentor Initiative; PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative; Population Services International; and the President’s Malaria Initiative.
ExxonMobil is working with partners in countries including Angola, Cameroon, Chad and Nigeria to raise public awareness of the disease and fight its spread in communities most at risk. Planned activities and events include education and testing workshops, health fairs, rallies and mass-media campaigns about how to prevent and treat malaria.
With more than $140 million in investments since 2000, ExxonMobil is the largest private-sector grant-maker in the fight against malaria. The company leverages its business expertise and network to strengthen global health initiatives, and programs funded by ExxonMobil have reached nearly 125 million people. Its Workforce Malaria Control Program offers prevention tools, early diagnosis and treatment to company employees and surrounding communities, and is a model for other malaria control initiatives.
