Southern Africa revitalizes tri-lateral cross-border malaria initiative

In July 2015, Ministers of Health from Swaziland, South Africa, and Mozambique signed an agreement to revitalize the Lubombo Spatial Development Initiative (LSDI) under a new name: the Mozambique, South Africa, and Swaziland Cross Border Malaria Initiative (MOSASWA). Coordinated malaria control activities under LSDI helped the three countries drive down malaria transmission between 2000 and 2011. However, LSDI’s grant funding ended in 2011 and cases began to rise. Transmission increased in Mozambique’s Maputo province by 132%, in South Africa by 42%, and in Swaziland by 6%.

The revitalized MOSASWA initiative aims to use lessons and best practices from LSDI to ensure improved and sustained regional collaboration. The cross border initiative will complement the regional activities of the Elimination 8 (link is external) by strengthening efforts to eliminate malaria in South Africa and Swaziland by 2020 and help Mozambique transition to pre-elimination by 2025.