Published: 12 December 2021

Malaria Experts from across the African Union member states met last week to finalize the Africa Malaria Progress Report. The Report will be submitted to the African Union Summit taking place early February next year to highlight the progress, challenges and future directions to keep malaria high on African Union Member States priorities in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Following His Excellency’s President Uhuru Kenyatta’s appointment in February 2020 as the chair of ALMA at the African Union Assembly, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, a clear vision to contribute to the acceleration of the implementation of the Catalytic Framework to End AIDS, TB and Eliminate Malaria in Africa by 2030 was laid out. This report highlights some of the key success points of his bold and ambitious agenda.

Significant progress has been made on digitalisation including increased use and sharing of national malaria scorecards, enhanced accountability and action, establishing national End Malaria Councils and Funds to galvanise multisectoral action and increase public and private domestic investments in malaria, mobilising a cadre of youth leaders to steer action and build a formidable malaria youth army and strengthening coordination and collaboration by Regional Economic Communities” said Susan Mochache, Kenya’s Permanent Secretary for Health.

This year’s report highlights the progress on the implementation of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s bold and ambitious agenda and countries have shared their best practice examples..

However,  it has also been noted in the report that Africa continues to have by far the highest malaria burden accounting for  96% of the estimated cases and 98% of estimated deaths. Only 5 countries have achieved  the target of a 40% reduction in incidence while only 2 have achieved a 40% reduction in deaths. This has been made worse by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which has reduced access to essential health care services including for malaria, which led to increased malaria mortality in 2020.

The report will therefore highlight the need to build on the successes noted in the report, amplify these best practices across the continent, and ensure that we all commit to get back on track and end this preventable and treatable disease once and for all!