With ALMA scorecard, African leaders are taking responsibility in malaria fight

The African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) is "spearheading the fight against malaria" in Africa, bringing together 40 heads of state and "offer[ing] a compelling example of what is possible through co-operation, leadership, commitment, and sound management of national and international funds," Tanzania President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete writes in a post on the Guardian's "Poverty Matters Blog." With the launch of the "groundbreaking" ALMA scorecard for accountability and action last week, leaders are now able "to measure our own performance against a set of key malaria metrics including national policies, financial controls, delivery of prevention and treatment commodities, and, most importantly, lives saved," Kikwete writes.

While Africa continues to need vital monetary and technical support from the international community, "the buck stops with us," he writes, concluding, "As heads of state and government, we are ultimately responsible for demonstrating that aid is being used wisely, effectively and efficiently. We are responsible for the wellbeing of our citizens, who have put their trust in us. We are responsible for good stewardship of vital aid dollars. And we are responsible for meeting the health goals we've set" (9/28).