On April 25, 2011, EG Justice co-hosted a Policy Roundtable with the Center for Strategic and International Studies to discuss the ongoing efforts of Marathon Oil Corporation and its partners to implement a public-private partnership with the government to reduce the malaria rates on Bioko Island.

Panelists:

•    Adel Chaouch, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, Marathon Oil Company
•    Christopher Schwabe, Ph.D., Health and Public Finance Economist, Medical Care Development
      International
•    Luis Benavente, M.D., Director of Improving Malaria Diagnostics Project, Medical Care 
      Development International
•    Michel Slotman, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University

Background:

There are more than 300 million cases of malaria each year globally, resulting in more than one million deaths, with approximately 90% of those occurring in Africa. Malaria is Africa's leading cause of under-five mortality (20%) and accounts for 40% of public health expenditure. In Equatorial Guinea, malaria negatively impacts the lives of all citizens, and is the leading cause of mortality among children.

In 2004, Marathon Oil Corporation and its partners formed a public-private partnership with the government of Equatorial Guinea and began implementing a multifaceted malaria reduction program on Bioko Island, home of the nation’s capital and roughly one-third of the country’s citizens. The project has substantially curbed the incident rate of malaria on the island and is being used as a model by the Global Fund to expand malaria reduction to other parts of the country.