Urgent Calls for Funding and Innovation at Malaria Ministerial Conference.

By Uzman Unis Bah

Amidst urgent calls to reignite efforts against malaria at the Malaria Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, attention is drawn to the exacerbating impact of climate change on malaria transmission and control. Health Ministers from African nations have gathered, committed to intensifying efforts to eradicate fatalities caused by the disease.

The World Malaria Report 2023 underscores the critical importance of adequate funding to combat the dual threats of malaria and climate change. The funding gap between the amount invested and resources needed has widened in recent years, reaching US$ 3.7 billion in 2022, posing a significant challenge to malaria control efforts.

The impact of climate change on malaria control efforts underscores the necessity for innovative and climate-resilient interventions. Investments in research and development are crucial to developing tools and strategies capable of withstanding the challenges posed by shifting environmental conditions. Additionally, integrating malaria control within broader climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies is essential for building resilient health systems capable of responding to evolving threats.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, highlighted the urgent need for increased investment to address these challenges, stating that progress against malaria has stalled since 2017, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the looming threat of climate change.

Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, emphasized the importance of prioritizing funding for malaria control, particularly in high-burden countries, stressing that malaria continues to cause preventable deaths in children and devastation to families across the region.

The Malaria Ministerial Conference serves as a platform for galvanizing global action against malaria, with a renewed emphasis on the intersection between malaria control and climate change adaptation. Participants, including Health Ministers, global malaria partners, and funding agencies, are urged to prioritize funding for malaria control efforts and to integrate climate change considerations into malaria response strategies.

Eleven African countries, including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and Nigeria, bear 70% of the global malaria burden. Progress against malaria in these nations has halted since 2017 due to various factors like humanitarian crises, limited healthcare access, climate change, and drug resistance, underscoring the need for improved health systems and data.

As nations grapple with the dual challenges of malaria and climate change, urgent action is needed to bridge the funding gap and develop innovative, climate-resilient interventions to combat malaria effectively. The success of these efforts hinges not only on the commitments made within the conference but also on the collective action and unwavering determination of nations, organizations, and individuals worldwide.