African Health Ministers pledge to end malaria deaths

Ministers of Health from African countries with the highest burden of malaria have pledged to take actions to end deaths from the disease.

They made the commitment at the Yaoundé conference on March 6, 2024, to sustainably and equitably address the threat of malaria in the African region, which accounts for 95 per cent of malaria deaths globally.

The conference, among other things, aimed to review progress and challenges in achieving the targets of the World Health Organisation (WHO) global malaria strategy and discuss mitigation strategies and funding for malaria.

It also aimed to agree on effective strategies and responses for accelerated malaria mortality reduction in Africa; and establish a roadmap for increased political commitment and societal engagement in malaria control, with a clear accountability mechanism.

The Yaoundé conference was jointly organised by the WHO and the Government of Cameroun, in partnership with ministers of health, global malaria partners, funding agencies, scientists, civil society organisations, and other key stakeholders in the fight against malaria.

The ministers signed a declaration expressing their unwavering dedication to drastically reducing malaria mortality rates and vowed to hold themselves and their countries accountable for the commitments outlined in the declaration.

They also pledged to demonstrate stronger leadership and allocate more domestic funds to malaria control programs. Their aim is to further invest in data technology, implement the latest technical guidance for malaria control and elimination, and enhance malaria control efforts at both national and sub-national levels.

The declaration signed aligns with the "High burden to high impact" approach, which is built upon four key pillars: political determination to reduce malaria fatalities, strategic data to facilitate impactful actions, improved guidance, policies, and strategies, and a coordinated national response to malaria.

Statistics

The African region is home to 11 countries that carry approximately 70 per cent of the global burden of malaria; Burkina Faso, Cameroun, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, the Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania.

Figures show the global number of malaria cases surged significantly compared to pre-COVID-19 levels in 2022, rising from 233 million in 2019 to 249 million. During the same period, the African region witnessed a rise in cases from 218 million to 233 million.

The agreement also includes plans for increased investments in the healthcare sector to improve infrastructure, personnel, and programme implementation. This will facilitate greater collaboration across different sectors and foster partnerships for funding, research, and innovation in the fight against malaria.

On a global scale, funding for malaria control remains insufficient. In 2022, only US$4.1 billion, slightly more than half of the required budget, was allocated for malaria response efforts.

Commitment 

“This declaration reflects our shared commitment as nations and partners to protect our people from the devastating consequences of malaria. We will work together to ensure that this commitment is translated into action and impact,” said Manaouda Malachie, Cameroun's Health Minister. 

The Director-General of WHO, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, explained that, globally, significant strides have been made to tackle malaria; however, the progress had stalled since 2017.

“The COVID-19 pandemic and long-standing threats like drug and insecticide resistance pushed us further off-track, with critical gaps in funding and access to tools to prevent, diagnose and treat malaria. With political leadership, country ownership and the commitment of a broad coalition of partners, we can change this story for families and communities across Africa,” he said.

The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, noted that malaria continued to claim lives, particularly among children, and inflicts immense suffering on families across the region.

He applauded the ministerial declaration, which underscored a firm political resolve to alleviate the burden of the deadly disease with renewed urgency and commitment, and said the continent could expedite progress towards a malaria-free future.

“Malaria continues to cause preventable deaths in children and great devastation to families across our region. We welcome today’s ministerial declaration, which demonstrates a strong political will to reduce the burden of this deadly disease. With renewed urgency and commitment, we can accelerate progress towards a future free of malaria,” said Dr Moeti.