Commitment from African ministers to tackle deaths due to malaria
Ministers of Health from African countries with the highest burden of malaria have committed to accelerated action to end deaths from the disease
During a signing ceremony in Cameroon, the ministers pledged to sustainably and equitably address the threat of malaria in the African region, which accounts for 95% of malaria deaths globally. The declaration of commitment makes several pledges:
- To provide stronger leadership and increased domestic funding for malaria control programmes
- To ensure further investment in data technology
- To apply the latest technical guidance in malaria control and elimination
- To enhance malaria control efforts at the national and sub-national levels.
The ministers further pledged to increase health sector investments to bolster infrastructure, personnel and programme implementation; to enhance multi-sectoral collaboration; and to build partnerships for funding, research and innovation. In signing the declaration, they expressed their “unwavering commitment to the accelerated reduction of malaria mortality” and “to hold each other and our countries accountable for the commitments outlined in this declaration”.
The Yaoundé conference, co-hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the government of Cameroon, gathered Ministers of Health, global malaria partners, funding agencies, scientists, civil society organisations and other principal malaria stakeholders.