Published: 6 April 2022

The African Leaders Malaria Alliance congratulates the End Malaria Council Kenya for its efforts to increase participation of the private sector in the fight against malaria. Today His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta, Chair of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA), met the End Malaria Council (EMC) Kenya and Dr. Fisk Johnson, the Chairman and CEO of SC Johnson and Sons Company (SC Johnson), who committed to support malaria prevention efforts within the Great Lakes Malaria Initiative.

In today’s meeting, SC Johnson has committed to partner with the EMC Kenya to support malaria prevention interventions and social behavior change communication towards ending malaria in Kenya. Mr. Chris Getonga, the Chair of EMC Kenya, welcomed the support from SC Johnson and pledged to ensure it is channeled towards areas with the highest malaria burden in the country.

The EMC Kenya is a public-private-community partnership established by H.E. President Uhuru Kenyatta, to mobilise advocacy, action, and resources to end malaria in Kenya, while SC Johnson is a leading manufacturer of household cleaning, storage, pest control and professional products. SC Johnson has been using its expertise and capabilities to make contributions toward eliminating malaria and helping make life healthier and better for families.

Speaking during the meeting, Dr. Johnson shared his company’s intent to resume its purchasing of Kenya’s pyrethrum for the production of chemicals to boost the war against malaria. SC Johnson which has a branch in Kenya, has been one of the biggest buyers of Kenya’s pyrethrum. HE President Kenyatta welcomed the company’s partnership, terming it a boost in the fight against malaria in Kenya and across the region. He added that the purchase of Kenya’s pyrethrum by SC Johnson will provide a ready market for farmers and increase their income.

The President, in his capacity as the ALMA chair, has been at the forefront in supporting initiatives geared towards the elimination of malaria on the continent. Upon assuming the chairmanship of ALMA, HE President Kenyatta outlined a bold and ambitious four-point plan to help eliminate malaria on the continent that includes putting data at the centre of how Africa responds to malaria through digitalisation and real time data, and in response to that call, the ALMA scorecard hub has been established. He also called for close engagement with the regional economic blocs in Africa, in order to address the sub-regional agenda. Thirdly, he called for the creation of a ‘Malaria Youth Army’, working with existing youth leaders across the African continent to champion youth engagement and resource commitments for malaria elimination.  HE President Uhuru Kenyatta also called for the creation of at least 15 End Malaria Councils and Funds to boost high-level, multi-sectoral engagement and involve advocacy at all levels of governance. Of the 15 targeted, 5 have already been launched, while additional 18 under development.

Kenya’s End Malaria Council, inaugurated by the Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Hon. Mutahi Kagwe on 17 February 2021, was established by H.E. President Uhuru Kenyatta. The Kenya End Malaria Council was the fifth to be launched in Africa after Eswatini, Uganda, Zambia and Mozambique. The EMC’s mandate is to champion the “Zero Malaria Starts with Me” campaign to achieve a malaria-free Kenya. Zero Malaria Starts with Me is a pan-African campaign that mobilizes and empowers communities to take ownership over the fight to end malaria.

The EMC Kenya members are leaders drawn from both the public and the private sectors to champion the “Zero Malaria Starts with Me!” campaign and to remove barriers limiting the implementation of the Kenya Malaria Strategy. As highly visible and influential malaria champions, EMC members are responsible for engaging their respective sectors, constituencies, and communities to mainstream malaria as a priority and to mobilise commitments for advocacy, action, resources and accountability.