Dr Corine Karema, the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Afrika Kwanza Health Impact, has commended Ghana for implementing innovative strategies to eliminate malaria, including being among 19 countries deploying vaccines to protect children under five years.
She said the implementation of Ghana’s National Malaria Elimination Strategic Plan (NMESP) 2024–2028, which comprised enhanced epidemiological surveillance and reactive case detection, had led to significant progress in the country’s fight against the disease.
Dr Karema made the remarks at a two-day Regional Strategic Meeting and the launch of the Coalition of Parliamentarians to End Malaria in Africa (COPEMA), held in Accra.
The event, which opened on Monday and closed on Tuesday, aimed at strengthening continental partnerships between policymakers and malaria control programmes, with parliamentarians at the forefront of advocacy efforts.
COPEMA seeks to mobilise parliamentary support to increase domestic funding and ensure effective implementation of malaria control strategies, as Africa works toward eliminating the disease by 2030.
Dr Karema, sharing progress and setbacks in the fight against malaria, described the disease as a major public health concern, accounting for approximately 600,000 deaths globally each year – including more than 400,000 children under the age of five.
“This is a disease that is both preventable and treatable, yet one child is dying every minute. It’s really important that we act now,” she stressed.
She noted that although malaria cases had declined over the past two decades, only three African countries – Algeria, Mauritius, and recently Cabo Verde – had successfully eliminated the disease.
Dr Karema highlighted several biological challenges impeding progress, including mosquito resistance to insecticides used in bed nets, and drug resistance reported in eight African countries, where patients return with malaria despite undergoing treatment.
“Although people are using mosquito nets, the mosquitoes are not dying. They continue to transmit the disease,” she said.
The emergence of new mosquito species and malaria parasites that evade standard detection methods has further complicated eradication efforts.
On financing, Dr Karema identified inadequate funding as a major obstacle.
She said the global malaria response requires at least $8.3 billion annually but receives only $4.3 billion, just over half of the required resources.
“That is why this meeting is important. We are meeting with the coalition of parliamentarians to advocate increased domestic funding,” she added.
Cecilia Senoo, the Chief Executive Officer of Hope for Future Generations, delivering a statement on behalf of civil society organisations at the event to commemorate World Malaria Day 2025, reaffirmed the need to mobilise national resources to sustain momentum towards malaria elimination.
She said 2025 was a critical year for malaria advocacy as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) prepared for its Eighth Replenishment cycle, which was key to deploying lifesaving malaria tools to millions at risk.
Senoo called on country leaders to ensure a fully resourced Global Fund, which aims to save 23 million lives between 2027 and 2029.
“In addition to calls for sustained investments from global partners, communities and civil society across the globe are urging leaders of malaria-affected countries – particularly in Africa – to take ownership of national malaria responses and fulfil their commitments,” she stated.
The event was held in collaboration with strategic partners including the National Malaria Programme of Ghana, Afrika Kwanza Health Impact, and Hope for Future Generations.
Global Fund, Africa CDC, World Health Organization, Pan African Parliament, and the RBM Partnership to End Malaria all supported the event.