The African Leaders Malaria Alliance, ALMA, warned that a 30 per cent cut in malaria financing could produce about 146 million additional malaria cases in Africa by 2030, and could lead to nearly 400,000 more deaths and a loss of US$37 billion in GDP, the alliance said on Friday.
ALMA made the projection at a high-level side event on sustainable malaria financing held on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly. The event, titled “Africa’s Leadership for Sustainable Malaria Financing: A Multisectoral Path to Elimination”, was hosted by President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko of Botswana in partnership with the African Union Commission and the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, the News Agency of Nigeria reported and Premium Times carried the coverage.
Speakers at the event described a stalled trajectory in the fight against malaria. They said Africa now accounts for roughly 94 per cent of global malaria cases and 95 per cent of malaria deaths, and warned a combination of financing shortfalls, extreme weather, rising resistance to insecticides and medicines, and humanitarian crises could trigger a resurgence.
Leaders at the meeting urged stronger domestic financing, multisectoral action and deeper collaboration between governments, development partners and non-state actors to protect hard-won gains and speed progress towards elimination.
WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus, who addressed the meeting, emphasised the link between funding and disease control, saying, “When investment is sustained, malaria retreats. When financing falls, it returns.” He recommended National End Malaria Councils and Funds as practical mechanisms for bringing government, business, civil society and communities around one plan and one financing platform.
President Boko urged countries to plan a managed transition to sustainable domestic financing while strengthening political commitment to elimination. He called on member states and partners to turn commitments into action, saying, “Let us finance the fight, bring every sector to the table, and deliver the big push to zero malaria.”
Muhammad Jallow, Vice President of The Gambia, cautioned that domestic resources alone would not be enough. “We must be mindful of the fiscal constraints facing many of our countries. Domestic financing alone can not sustain the level of investment required to reach elimination,” he said, calling for predictable international support to help countries through the final stages of elimination.
Zarau Wendeline Kibwe, Executive Director for the Africa Group 1 Constituency at the World Bank Group, urged that malaria remain a priority as countries entered negotiations on IDA22. Speakers also called for malaria control to be included in national budgets and World Bank IDA21 health compacts, and asked the World Bank to consider a dedicated Malaria Booster Programme under IDA22.
The event highlighted cross-border collaboration, local manufacturing and innovation as important components of a multisectoral approach to elimination, the News Agency of Nigeria reported.
Premium Times reported the event and monitored coverage from NAN via webinar. For full details see the Premium Times report.
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