Marathon Oil Corporation announced that the Government of Equatorial Guinea, Marathon and Noble Energy have signed a letter of intent with Medical Care Development International (MCDI) to implement a comprehensive malaria control project for Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea.

This five-year $6.8 million initiative is designed to:

--Reduce the transmission of the malaria parasite through mosquito control programs and improved preventive measures at the household and community level,

--Improve the health care delivery system for malaria cases by establishing malaria treatment centers that will use standardized protocols for diagnosis, treatment and referrals, and

--Enhance surveillance systems and operational research to strengthen Equatorial Guinea's capacity to conduct surveys and implement an effective reporting and monitoring system.

This initiative will focus on Bioko Island and the capital city of Malabo in order to exploit the natural advantages the island provides for transmission control. It is anticipated this program could serve as a template for malaria control activities on the mainland of Equatorial Guinea. The government and partners expect to launch the initiative during the third quarter of this year.

"After our entry into the country 18 months ago, we quickly discovered malaria is a significant health risk threatening the population of Equatorial Guinea," said Steven Hinchman, Marathon senior vice president of Production Operations. "We saw an opportunity to make a dramatic impact by supporting a comprehensive survey of malaria on the island, and we are working with the government to adopt a plan to address solutions. This effort represents a positive step in collaboration between the government and the private sector to help control malaria and demonstrates our commitment to supporting the communities in which we operate."