African leaders appoint a new African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) Chair President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko of Botswana; taking over from HE President Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Guinea Bissau; and commit to Change the Story on malaria and demand a big push to achieve malaria elimination including a successful Global Fund replenishment

Against the backdrop of the 2024 Africa Malaria Progress Report, which reveals stagnating progress and mounting threats to malaria elimination across the continent, Heads of State and Government at the African Union Summit committed to mobilising domestic resources and scaling up integrated and innovative financing. Leaders also urged global partners to recommit to the fight against malaria through the replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
As a new chair takes over the helm of ALMA; African leaders underscored the need for a unified and decisive response. This call to action was supported by the launch of a new stage of the 'Change the Story' campaign, which amplifies children's stories of how malaria has impacted their lives.
The 'perfect storm' threatens to reverse decades of progress
Released at the Summit, the 2024 'Africa Malaria Progress Report' paints a picture of a defining moment in Africa's fight against malaria, showing that progress continues to stagnate leaving Africa's ambitious goal to eliminate malaria by 2030 in jeopardy. The report warns that malaria elimination in Africa is facing serious threats including insufficient resources, rapid population growth, climate change, biological resistance including insecticide and drug resistance, and the devastating impacts of humanitarian crises. Together, these factors create a 'perfect storm', which threatens to reverse decades of progress, making the fight against malaria harder. Leaders underscored that lifting the continent out of this storm will require intensified resource mobilisation, including through innovative financing, domestic resource mobilisation and rapid introduction and scale up of new interventions and commodities.
H.E. President Embaló hands over ALMA chairmanship to President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko, of the Republic of Botswana.
Concluding his tenure as Chair of the ALMA after more than two years of strong leadership in malaria advocacy across the continent, H.E. President Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Guinea-Bissau officially handed over Chairmanship to President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko who pledged to continue advancing the malaria elimination agenda while emphasising the importance of prioritising increased resources across the board to prevent a catastrophic resurgence and put progress towards malaria elimination back on track.
'Africa must urgently rise to the challenge by mobilizing domestic resources, including by drawing down on the resources in our emergency funds and increasing our health budget allocations. We must also scale up innovative financing including through End Malaria Councils and Funds, and leverage platforms like World Bank IDA and the Green Climate Fund to ensure that our national programmes are fully equipped to drive the malaria agenda forward. ' said President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko.
Present at the handover ceremony, Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former President of the Republic of Liberia and a former Chair of ALMA, noted that nine End Malaria Councils have since been established, and have collectively raised over $125 million in the fight against malaria. 'These multisectoral councils also promote primary health care including through the engagement of community health workers. These Community Health Workers are crucial in the fight against many diseases including malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia, are pivotal to primary health care and must be scaled up'.
A successful Global Fund replenishment is vital to get back on track for elimination
'Malaria is a pathfinder for health systems strengthening, primary healthcare, and pandemic preparedness, and it exemplifies the pressing need to address the health impacts of climate change. This is why we must ensure sufficient resources to address malaria, HIV and TB and strengthen health systems, especially in the upcoming Global Fund replenishment.,' said Her Excellency Ambassador Minata Samate Cessouma, the Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs, and Social Development at the African Union Commission.
The Global Fund is the largest source of funding for malaria, providing 62% of all international financing for malaria programmes. It is therefore essential that the Global Fund replenishment this year is successful.
The report further highlights the urgency of scaling up next-generation tools, including dual insecticide-treated nets, new insecticides, new malaria medicines, and malaria vaccines. To this end, leaders called for the fast-tracking of these interventions and ensuring that they are deployed to address the growing challenge of biological resistance. Manufacturing this tools locally, in Africa, can drive economic growth while also advancing public health outcomes.
Change the Story: A new campaign to galvanise action and drive increased political will and investment
Also taking place at the summit was the premiere of a new film as part of the latest stage of the international 'Change the Story' campaign. Children are the most vulnerable to malaria and yet their voices often go unheard. This campaign captures powerful stories from children on malaria's impact on their lives, highlighting the human cost of the disease, underscoring the urgent need for action including increased investment in malaria elimination.
The campaign encourages leaders to support this year's critical replenishment of funding into the Global Fund. It also provides a platform for malaria endemic countries to take further action to accelerate malaria reduction, including increasing domestic investment to tackle the disease.
The campaign's latest stage is backed by high profile campaign supporters including Zero Malaria Ambassador, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie who urged 'We need to listen to children's voices today as the decisions our leaders make will determine their futures tomorrow. Nigeria, where I was born, carries the greatest burden of malaria, so I know first-hand how this disease can stunt children's educations, steal their livelihoods and sometimes take their lives. This is why we urgently need to change the story of malaria. Leaders must turn the page and start a new, more hopeful chapter to save lives.'
Through the new campaign film, we learn about the devastating impact of severe flooding in Mozambique, through the compelling story of a young girl, Gloria, who lives in Boane. 'I remember when the sky got really angry. The rain came down so hard it was like elephants dancing on the roof. The roof flew away and the house started to fill with water. Our house was gone, the greedy water took it all - our beds, our mosquito nets and my favourite toy. We ran to school to hide. It was the scariest time of my life,' shared Gloria.
Celebrating Egypt's malaria-free certification by WHO
Amid persisting challenges in the fight against malaria, Egypt's malaria-free certification marked a notable milestone in 2024. During the press conference President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko; and Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, the ADG and Acting Regional Director of the World Health Organisation Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO), presented Ambassador Ashraf Sweilam, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for African Organizations and Communities for the Arab Republic of Egypt, and Personal Representative of the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt to AUDA-NEPAD, with an award in recognition of this achievement, noting that victory against malaria is attainable.
Lasting progress is attainable with full commitment
According to the 2024 Africa Malaria Progress Report, there has been a 38% reduction in malaria incidence and a 60% reduction in mortality since 2000, preventing 1.8 billion cases and saving 11.9 million lives in Africa over the past two decades. This progress illustrates that despite pressing challenges, lasting progress against malaria is attainable with full commitment. In his remarks, H.E. President Umaro Sissoco Embaló reminded leaders, policymakers, and partners of the critical need to act now and support a big push. Now is the time to accelerate the continent to malaria elimination.
Access the 2024 AU Malaria report here https://apo-opa.co/4jXKBgN
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA).
Media inquiries and requests should be directed to:
Wynne Musabayana
Head of Communications | African Union Commission
Email: musabayanaw@africa-union.org
Web: www.AU.int
Thomas Davies
African Leaders Malaria Alliance
Email: TDavies@alma2030.org
Web: www.ALMA2030.org
About ALMA:
Founded in 2009, the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) is a ground-breaking coalition of African Heads of State and Government working across country and regional borders to achieve a malaria-free Africa by 2030. All Member States of the African Union are members of ALMA. www.ALMA2030.org.
About Change the Story Campaign:
For more information on the 'Change the Story' campaign, visit: https://Change.ZeroMalaria.org/ . Change the Story is part of 'Zero Malaria'; a global movement committed to ending malaria in a generation by lifting the voices of people impacted by malaria, connecting communities with leaders and providing platforms and campaigns that unite everyone in solidarity to end malaria, one of the world's oldest and deadliest diseases. For more information, visit: https://ZeroMalaria.org/.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Hi Dubai

6 days ago

• Hi Dubai

UAE, Czech Republic Enhance Cooperation During GLOBSEC 2025

Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, reinforced the UAE's growing ties with the Czech Republic during a working visit on the sidelines of the 20th GLOBSEC Forum, highlighting shared goals in healthcare, innovation, education, and global development. Al Hashimy held high-level meetings with Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský and Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Vlastimil Válek. The discussions focused on enhancing bilateral initiatives, deepening multilateral cooperation, and exploring joint partnerships, particularly with African nations. A key outcome of the visit was the signing of a Joint Partnership Statement on trilateral development cooperation in the healthcare sector. The agreement aims to strengthen capacity-building and facilitate knowledge exchange in African countries. Al Hashimy also took part in a strategic dialogue titled 'GLOBSEC Chat – Strengthening Ties: EU–UAE Relations in a Changing Global Landscape,' hosted in collaboration with the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy. The session addressed opportunities for broader UAE–EU cooperation in trade, technology, climate action, and regional stability. The visit reaffirmed the UAE's commitment to advancing international partnerships based on shared values and mutual interests, while underscoring its focus on stronger engagement with Central and Eastern Europe. News Source: Emirates News Agency

Gulf Today

12-06-2025

• Gulf Today

Timely diagnosis ‘can prevent prostate cancer risk'

The risk of prostate cancer is relatively low in the UAE as compared to other countries as it affects approximately one in eight men globally. Men of African descent are more likely to receive a diagnosis of prostate cancer with one in six men being diagnosed with the disease. New cases rose from 1.4 million cases globally in 2020 to 2.9 million by 2040. Late diagnosis is widespread globally, especially in low- to middle-income countries, where comorbidities such as diabetes and heart diseases are also on the rise. This was stated by Dr Charles Ryan, Genitourinary Medical Oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York City in an email interview with Gulf Today. He recently visited UAE to attend a global conference. Dr Ryan has extensive research background, particularly in understanding how hormones drive resistance to treatment besides practicing and doing research for over 25 years and now work with new companies to develop novel treatments for prostate cancer and help bring them to the clinic. He also recently launched a podcast called 'The Good News About Cancer,' which highlights progress being made in cancer research and treatment. It is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. Highlighting the regional ratio, he said 'Broadening to the Middle East, in 2020 there were approximately 52,000 new prostate cancer cases in the Middle East, which represents about 4% of global cases. Interestingly, in the Middle East the incident ratio is lower than it is in Europe and North America however, the region has a higher mortality to incidence ratio. In other words, as in many parts of the world, men of a lower socioeconomic status are more likely to experience lethal prostate cancer than men with a higher socioeconomic status.' Underlining the major symptoms, he pointed that 'The vast majority of men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer do not have symptoms of the disease when they are diagnosed. Occasionally patients will have urinary symptoms, such as frequent urination or changes in the number of times they need to urinate at night. There can occasionally be blood in the semen or urine, but such symptoms are rare and may indicate other conditions, such as infections. The most common risk factors for prostate cancer include advancing age, a family history of the disease, and certain ancestral backgrounds,' he added. About the preventive measures to avoid getting prostate cancer, he said 'We have tried many ways to prevent prostate cancer over the years with various hormonal manipulations and other drugs, which have not shown consistent benefits and have shown some risks. Therefore, we do not recommend pharmacologic intervention to prevent prostate cancer.'

Al Etihad

09-06-2025

• Al Etihad

WHO maintains mpox public health alert amid West Africa surge

9 June 2025 23:59 GENEVA (AFP)The World Health Organisation said Monday that the mpox virus epidemic remains an international health emergency, with more than 37,000 confirmed cases reported since it director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the extension of the emergency, following a meeting of international experts who noted progress in some countries but also highlighted a surge in west Africa and the spread of the virus outside WHO said since the epidemic started in early 2024 in Democratic Republic of Congo, there have been more than 37,000 cases in 25 countries, including 125 Congo accounts for 60 percent of the confirmed cases and 40 percent of the deaths from the virus, which causes a rash and severe flu-like and Burundi have been the next worst hit, followed by Sierra Leone, which the WHO said has seen a surge in cases this first declared mpox an international emergency in August last year. The International Health Regulations emergency committee met last Thursday to discuss the decided that the epidemic remains an international emergency "based on the continuing rise in the number of cases, including a recent increase in West Africa, and likely ongoing undetected transmission in some countries beyond the African continent." WHO also said some countries were still struggling to monitor the epidemic and with a lack of funding for treatment there was a need for "continued international support".