KENYA – Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta applauded African countries for embracing the use of digital tools to strengthen evidence-based accountability and action in the fight against malaria.
Africa has made significant progress in the war against malaria in the last two years which can be attributed to the success of a four-point program implemented by the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA).
The four key initiatives of the program constructed by ALMA Chair President Uhuru includes digitization along with scorecard accountability and action plans, multi-sectoral advocacy with action and resource mobilization, regional coordination and access to life-saving commodities.
At the ongoing Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Uhuru Kenyatta presented last year’s ALMA Malaria Progress Report.
President Uhuru criticized the high malaria prevalence in Africa asserting that isolated digitization together with accountability and action scorecards was as an important tool in the campaign against the disease.
“Our countries are implementing national scorecard tools on malaria, reproductive maternal, new born, adolescent and child health as well as neglected tropical diseases, nutrition and community scorecards,” stated President Uhuru.
In 2021, Kenya launched the ALMA Scorecard Hub to enable countries to share national health outcomes and best practices.
He maintained that 13 countries are sharing their scorecards on the hub currently and encouraged remaining countries to utilize the platform.
“On multi-sectoral advocacy with action and resource mobilization, 23 countries have launched national ‘Zero Malaria Starts with Me Campaigns’ while another 24 are in the process of setting up anti-malaria councils and funds,” reported the ALMA Chairman.
The President further said that countries were deploying mosquito nets and insecticides to address the threat of insecticide resistance and enhance access to life-saving anti-malaria commodities.
“End malaria councils mobilized financial resources and support for the fight against malaria in 2021 in addition to sustaining the visibility of the campaigns through national communication campaigns and engaging leaders,” President Kenyatta noted.
President Kenyatta also spoke about regional coordination of anti-malaria programmes where African countries had enhanced cross-border collaboration.
He added that last year’s approval of the first malaria vaccine for children under 5 years by the World Health Organization (WHO) was a major boost in the war against the disease.
WHO recommends that the vaccine be administered in a four-dose regimen for children from five months of age in areas with moderate to high transmission of malaria.
A pilot programme has been rolling out the groundbreaking drug in Kenya, Ghana and Malawi since 2019.
Speaking during the meeting, African Development Bank Group President Dr Akinwumi Adesina said there was crucial need to build a defense mechanism against external shocks especially in healthcare and financial security.
“Investing in health is investing in national security. Africa cannot afford to outsource the healthcare security of its 1.4 billion citizens to the benevolence of others,” Dr Adesina told African leaders.
He outlined three strategic priorities for an African healthcare defense system involving building quality healthcare infrastructure, developing the continent’s pharmaceutical industry and increasing the capacity of vaccine manufacturing.
He confirmed that African Development Bank planned to invest US$3B to support Africa’s pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturing capacity.
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