Ellen Vor der Bruegge, Vice President for Program Initiatives, will address the World Congress of Communication in Rome, Italy later this month on how microfinance can work as a vehicle for sustainable public health communication. Drawing on the studies completed on our West Africa Malaria Initiative, the funding for which was provided by GlaxoSmithKline, Vor der Bruegge will present the benefits of integrated microfinance and lifeskills education on the client and the community, including reductions in malarial incidence, duration and mortality through improvements in early detection, treatment and prevention practices. Other benefits to the household include increased economic capacity to purchase ITNs and effective drugs. For the public health and broader development communities, the program offers learning opportunities about how to combat health issues through a) dialogue-based community education, b) financially sustainable integration of health and financial services and c) innovative partnerships between financial and health-oriented organizations. Approximately 500 policymakers, academicians and practitioners are expected to come from all over the world to attend the conference which is sponsored by World Bank, FAO and the Communication Initiative. Media sponsorship is provided by BBC World.