Nigeria inaugurates End Malaria Project

Ahead of World Malaria Day (WMD) on April 25 and as part of efforts to end malaria by 2030, GBCHealth’s Corporate Alliance on Malaria in Africa (CAMA) and the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), yesterday, inaugurated the End Malaria Project.

End Malaria Project is a call to support greater collaboration to ensure zero malaria cases and deaths by 2030, GBCHealth is a network of more than 300 companies and development organisations leading action for improved global health.

CAMA is a GBCHealth-led initiative to drive partnerships for malaria control and elimination.

National Coordinator, NMEP, Dr. Perpetua Uhomoibhi, at the second instalment of the Combat Malaria in Africa virtual discussion, yesterday, said the End Malaria Project was a private sector-driven approach towards eliminating malaria.

“The programme is multi-sectorial and it will put the continent on the right path to meeting the World Health Organisation (WHO) strategy. These interventions are in tandem with the National Malaria Strategic Plan 2021 to 2025, which targets 80 per cent reduction in malaria cases and deaths by 2025. Our adopted slogan for WMD 2021 in Nigeria is ‘Stand up and Take Action’,” Uhomoibhi stated.

The online meeting themed ‘Combat Malaria in Africa: Lessons and Opportunities’ brought together speakers from government, industry, academia and civil society to deliberate on lessons and opportunities in the fight against malaria.

The high-level virtual event brought together the malaria community to discuss how to ensure progress in the fight to end malaria during the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) crisis and beyond.

The speakers included Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire; Executive Director, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Peter Sands; Public Health Manager, ExxonMobil Corporation, Dr. Malick Diara;
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Vestergaard, Michael Joos; Team Leader for Tropical and Vector-borne Diseases, WHO, Dr. Akpa Kalu; Director-General, Ghana Health Service, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye; Division Director, Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases, Ministry of Health, Rwanda, Dr. Aimable Mbituyumuremyi; and Executive Director, AMP Health, Dr. Robert Newman.

Others are Founder/Executive Director, Impact Santé Afrique and Civil Society for Malaria Elimination (CS4ME), Olivia Ngou; Director, Malaria and Neglected Tropical Disease Programmes, PATH, Kammerle Schneider; Global Director, Public Health and Special Projects, Chevron, Dr. Janis Davis Street; and Managing Director and CEO, Aliko Dangote Foundation, Zouera Youssoufou.