The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Pan American Health and Education Foundation (PAHEF), and the George Washington Center for Global Health (GWU-CGH) are very pleased to announce this year’s top finalists for the 2010 Malaria Champions of the Americas:

• Brazil: Fundação de Vigilância em Saúde do Amazonas (Foundation for Health Surveillance of the Amazon)
• Colombia: Departamento Administrativo de Salud y Seguridad Social del Chocò (Administrative Department of Health and Social Security of the Choco: DASALUD-Choco)
• Suriname: National Malaria Board

Recognition for the top winner and finalists will be conferred during the Regional Commemoration of Malaria Day in the Americas on November 4, 2010, from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at PAHO Headquarters in Washington DC. The event will include the premiere of short films that showcase the work of the finalists; is open to the general public; and will be joined by representatives from the diplomatic corps and various malaria stakeholders. To participate in this event, please register here.

Foundation for Health Surveillance of the Amazon - SUSAM Brazil	Administrative Department of Health and Social Security of the Chocó (DASALUD‐Chocó) Department of Chocó - Colombia	National Malaria Board - Suriname
To respond to the increasing cases being reported, the State Government of Amazonas created the Multi year plan for the Prevention and Control of Malaria. Through a partnership with all levels of the Brazilian government, NGOs, and private companies, the Plan hopes to implement policies for the prevention and control of malaria in the Amazonas state by reducing the social and economic damages due to illness, minimizing the population’s exposure to risk factors, and expanding governance in the health sector over the control of malaria transmission.	In the last four years, DASALUD Chocó, with support from the Ministry of Social Protection (MPS) ‐ National Health Institute (INS) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), reoriented and strengthened the program to prevent and control malaria, prioritizing municipalities and localities with the highest concentration of cases, complications and deaths.	In 1995 the Government of Suriname established the National Malaria Board (NMB), an advisory body consisting of representatives of key stakeholders with executive power. Having achieved nearly a 90% decrease in the incidence of malaria through the procurement of special funding, the National Malaria Board aimed to further diminish and eventually eliminate malaria from Suriname.

To see the complete Overview of the Finalists information, click here.