Windhoek
The African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) has commended the adoption of a comprehensive new roadmap to eliminate malaria in Africa by 2030.
Last Sunday, African leaders, among them President Hage Geingob, endorsed the Catalytic Framework to end AIDS, TB and Eliminate Malaria in Africa by 2030 during the 27th African Union (AU) Summit in Kigali.
The framework outlines a pathway to “eliminate malaria incidence and mortality, and prevent its transmission and reestablishment in all countries by 2030.”
By building Africa-wide consensus, leaders have charted a pathway to malaria elimination.
President Idriss Déby Itno of Chad, current chair of the AU, AIDS Watch Africa and of ALMA, urged leaders to redouble their efforts to sustain existing donor funding and ramp up domestic resources to ensure the success of the roadmap and implementation of innovative health solutions to eliminate malaria.
“Today, Africa’s leaders have again shown their commitment to the fight to end malaria, HIV/AIDS and TB by adopting the Catalytic Framework to end AIDS, TB and Eliminate Malaria by 2030 with clear targets and milestones. Through our continued leadership and increased cooperation to finance and provide lifesaving anti-malaria interventions, we can sustain our momentum and achieve a malaria, HIV/AIDS and TB-free Africa,” said President Itno.
Since 2000, malaria mortality rates in Africa have fallen by 66 percent among all age groups and by 71 percent among children under five years old. Annual malaria deaths in Africa have decreased from an estimated 764 000 in 2000 to 395 000 in 2015. But malaria remains one of the top causes of morbidity in pregnant women and mortality in children under five.
A ground-breaking coalition of 49 heads of state and government, ALMA has worked with governments to keep malaria high on the national and international development agenda since its founding in 2009.
“African leadership is our most powerful weapon in the war against malaria,” said Joy Phumaphi, executive secretary of ALMA. “In renewing their commitment to fight malaria and endorsing a framework to get us there, African leaders have brought us one step closer to an Africa free of malaria.”
It was noted Namibia has reduced malaria cases by 98 percent and deaths by 95 percent between 2001 and 2015.
As part of the Malaria Elimination 8 (E8) and as one of nine African countries that have achieved the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target for malaria, Namibia has an important role to play in a coordinated regional strategy. The adoption of the catalytic framework is a critical step towards realizing a malaria-free Africa by 2030.
Joining other African heads of state and government, Namibia committed to the full support of, and compliance with, the requirements of the Africa centres for disease control and prevention as well as international health regulations focusing on improved quality data collection, analysis and sharing.
Countries made a commitment to the strengthening of health systems, accountability and community engagement.
The meeting pushed for the accelerated implementation of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan for Africa, emphasizing the need for improved quality of locally produced commodities as well as access and affordability.
The chair emphasized the importance of local manufacturing in each sub-region as a vehicle for both improved health services and employment creation.
Leaders at the summit also commended international donors – calling on partners to fully replenish the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria this year at the Global Fund Replenishment Conference.
They committed to increased domestic financing from both the public and private sectors and endorsed the domestic financing scorecard introduced by the AUC.
The catalytic framework was adopted. It defines continent-wide goals for HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, focusing on the guiding principles of country ownership and leadership, financial and political commitment, equal access to health services for vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations, and robust surveillance and response systems. It outlines milestones and targets, with the aim of reducing malaria incidence and mortality rate by at least 40 percent by 2020, and 75 percent by 2025 – with the ultimate goal of eliminating malaria and preventing its re-establishment in all African countries by 2030.