The year 2006 was the last year that the Uganda Malaria Partnership Program (UMPP) was operational. From March 2003, CDFU played a key role in the unique partnership between government, non-government sector and community based organisations.

Funded by the pharmaceutical company Glaxo Smith Kline the UMPP partnership aimed to increase knowledge about malaria control during pregnancy and for children under five years old. Under the guidance of the Ugandan Ministry of Health, CDFU worked successfully together with its partners; AMREF, Africare and the Uganda Red Cross Society.

Between 2003 and 2006 UMPP addressed the following core areas in Kiboga, Kumi and Kanungu districts:

• Promotion of Home Based Management of Fever to encourage proper treatment of young children (under 5) with malaria in an early stage.
• Promotion of Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT) to protect pregnant women and their unborn children against the effects of malaria.
• Promotion of the use of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) was encouraged, especially for pregnant women and children under 5.

In order to change the behaviour of people considering the mentioned core areas, CDFU developed a resource package for malaria behaviour change intervention. Part of the package was a variety of posters and flyers developed after gaining valuable input from stakeholders such as community members, health workers and district officials. The same input was gratefully used for the development of a series of radio shows addressing the prevention of malaria.

Within the UMPP partnership, CDFU was responsible for the documentation and dissemination of lessons learnt. By documenting and sharing challenges and successes, the different partners benefited from each other’s experiences. Looking back on three years of UMPP implementation it is clear that the program has had a big impact on malaria control at community level.

UMPP succeeded in raising awareness of malaria. Besides that, positive behaviour change towards malaria control is visible in the targeted districts. CDFU is happy and proud to have contributed to this change.