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Executive Group Formed to Support the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic
Filariasis
During the Third Meeting of the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GAELF) held in Cairo, Egypt in March 2004, an Executive Group (EG) was formed to address issues related to maintaining the GAELF's momentum and to ensuring its long-term stability. Members of the EG were elected by the newly formed Representative Contact Group, which consists of stakeholders in the GAELF such as representatives from endemic countries, academic and research institutions, nongovernmental organizations, donors, pharmaceutical companies, WHO, and the World Bank. The 6 EG members were selected based on their knowledge of LF, their commitment to its elimination, and their ability to mobilize resources needed to carry out the Group's mandate which is to "… support the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis as a public health problem by enhancing the effectiveness of national, regional and global fundraising, advocacy, communication and planning for the Programme."
Dr. Yankum Dadzie is serving as Chair of the EG. Additional members include: Dr. Pat Lammie of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Francesco Rio of the World Health Organization, Dr. Björn Thylefors of the Mectizan Donation Program, and Mr. Andy Wright of GlaxoSmithKline. Ms. Joan Fahy of the Lymphatic Filariasis Support Center in Liverpool is serving as EG coordinator.
The EG has developed a plan of action and timeline to begin addressing the most pressing issues facing the Group with fundraising as a priority. Two teams have been formed to work on fundraising - one in Atlanta for North American funding prospects, and one in Europe to work with WHO on funding opportunities with bilateral donor agencies.
The EG is also working to facilitate fundraising within endemic countries. A proposal writing toolkit will be used to assist program managers in writing and submitting project proposals at the national level and to help identify possible in-country funding sources.
Advocacy is also an important part of the EG's mandate. LF is not a high profile disease; therefore awareness needs to be raised so that potential donors understand the devastation caused by LF, which is the second leading cause of disability worldwide with more than a billion people at risk. To raise awareness, the EG has developed a detailed advocacy and communications plan targeting a wide variety of stakeholders in the global effort to eliminate LF as well as potential donors, the media, and the public. A variety of media will be used to disseminate information about the GAELF including newsletters, Websites, academic publications, press releases, and meetings.
To date, the EG has held 3 meetings, and a 4th is scheduled to be held
in Atlanta in September 2004.