What is AMMREN?

Being a speech delivered at a one-day discussion forum organised by African Media and Malaria Research Network, AMMREN, at Kaduna, Nigeria, on 24th April, 2010. It was delivered by the Coordinator of the Northern (Nigeria) Chapter, Sumaila Umaisha.

The Honourable Commisioner of Health, Kaduna State, ladies and gentlemen,
Since we have experts here that will be talking on Malaria, I will restrict myself to give you a brief insight into what African Media and Malaria Research Network is all about.
Simply known as AMMREN, it is an award-winning network of African journalists and scientists working together to eradicate malaria on the continent. Its headquarters is in Accra, Ghana.
The membership of AMMREN is made up of select journalists from ten African countries: Burkina Faso, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal and Tanzania.
It was formed as a result of a media training workshop on Reporting on Malaria Research in Africa held in Ghana in 2006.
That workshop was led by a veteran Ghanaian journalist and an accomplished development advocate, Mrs. Charity Binka, who is currently the Executive Secretary AMMREN.
The objectives of setting up AMMREN include promoting communication of malaria research outcomes and best practices in malaria eradication in Africa through strengthened collaboration between malaria researchers and journalists. It is also out to sensitise the public and the government on the need to adopt habits and measures that would roll back or eradicate malaria.
This forum, which is organised to mark this year’s World Malaria Day, is part of the activities aimed at achieving the objectives.
There are actually two AMMREN events going on right now in Nigeria – this one and another one in Lagos, coordinated by the Country Director, Mr. Adeleke Mainasara Adeyemi. Both are being organised in partnership with Café Scientifique Nigeria, and sponsored by INDEPTH Effectiveness and Safety Studies of Antimalarials in Africa (INESS).
AMMREN recognises Nigerian government’s effort to eradicate Malaria through various programmes. It is a commendable effort. However, it needs to do more as Malaria is still the number one killer in the country.
As I said earlier, my job ends at highlighting AMMREN. So, having said this much, I will leave you in the able hands of experts to do justice to the subject-matter.
Thank you.

PICTURE:

From left, Editor of New Nigerian, Alhaji Bala Mohammed who represented the Managing Director, New Nigerian Newspapers Ltd., the Coordinator, African Media & Malaria Research Network (AMMREN), Northern Zone, Malam Samaila Umaisha and Mr. Akpus John, Entertainment Editor, New Nigerian Weekly.