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Published: 30 June 2020

Support from PMI has saved millions of lives and building a brighter future for Africa

Today the African Leaders Malaria Alliance joins the world in celebrating PMI’s 15th Anniversary. Through its transformative role in the malaria fight, PMI has over the last 15 years enabled millions of families and children to grow up free from the impact of malaria, building a healthier and better future, contributing to stronger health systems, global health security and broader national development goals and ensuring that African countries are safer, productive and more prosperous.

‘Through supporting the establishment of End Malaria Funds and Councils, ALMA is advancing the domestic resource mobilisation agenda that will ensure that access to essential malaria services is sustained and assured. However in the short to medium term, support from PMI and the international community, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, will remain critical to avoid programs collapsing, threatening decades of investments and sustained progress against malaria’ said Joy Phumaphi, ALMA Executive Secretary.

ALMA will continue to foster high level political engagement, evidence-informed decision making and context specific community responses in partnership with all key stakeholders. In the context of the public health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic there is greater need to protect the gains that have been made and strive to end malaria through increased domestic investments, increased private sector engagement and global solidarity through co-investment by donor governments to support increased action in malaria endemic countries and increase research and development.

When PMI was announced in 2005, malaria killed almost 1.2 million people annually. According to the most recent World Malaria Report, there were an estimated 405,000 malaria-related deaths and 228 million cases of malaria worldwide in 2018. Together with its partners, PMI has helped save more than seven million lives and prevented more than a billion cases of malaria since 2000. In large part because of progress against malaria, a child has a better chance of survival now than at any other point in history: 22 PMI partner countries in sub-Saharan Africa have seen significant reductions in all-cause mortality rates in children under age 5, with declines ranging from 10 per cent to 67 per cent. Eight PMI partner countries plus Zanzibar (in Tanzania) are on the path to being malaria-free. PMI continues to invest in new tools (data, research, new nets) and innovative approaches and partnerships to improve efficiency and further accelerate progress and impact. ALMA’s work to promote access to malaria services through resource mobilization, and accountability and action has been facilitated by our effective collaboration with PMI in malaria-endemic countries.

The COVID-19 emergency has the potential to result in a reallocation of domestic and international resources from malaria prevention and control to the COVID-19 response. Severe disruption of routine healthcare services due to national lockdowns, overstretched healthcare workforce and disruption of travel and supply chains are all occurring during the COVID 19 crisis. WHO modelling indicates that there could be a doubling in malaria deaths in 2020 if we are unable to distribute mosquito nets, and if access to case management is disrupted. Malaria interventions must remain a top priority to avoid backtracking on the progress achieved over the last two decades through sustained community action and unprecedented national and international investments.