African Leader’s Malaria Alliance
Joy Phumaphi, ALMA’s Executive Secretary, commented on the release of the World Malaria Report 2020, which shows that Africa is not on track to achieve its 2020 target of reducing malaria incidence and mortality by 40% and goal of eliminating malaria by 2030: “In line with the Abuja Declarations and the bold and ambitious targets set in the Catalytic Framework to End AIDS, TB and Eliminate Malaria in Africa by 2030, and in the context of COVID-19 that has affected health systems across Africa, we need renewed commitment. It is only through strong leadership by the African Heads of State and Government and joint action through partners and communities that we can achieve the shared vision of malaria elimination in Africa”. To reinvigorate ongoing engagements, WHO and the RBM partnership to End Malaria catalyzed the “high burden to high impact” (HBHI) approach in 2018. The response is led by 11 countries – including 10 in sub-Saharan Africa – that account for approximately 70% of the world’s malaria burden.
Sub-Saharan countries took a number of initiatives to prevent disruptions in malaria programs due to the pandemic, including the distribution of insecticide-treated nets door-to-door, record implementation of seasonal malaria chemoprevention for children, freighting of malaria medicines to avoid stock-outs, and intensified advocacy and communications efforts to ensure malaria remains high on national agendas.
ALMA developed online training courses in French to help countries improve the impact of their scorecard management tools and strengthen accountability. The online trainings and webinars will be part of a digital platform that the President of ALMA, His Excellency President Kenyatta, will launch in early 2021.
Asia Pacific Leader’s Malaria Alliance (APLMA)
APLMA celebrated the fact that the South-East Asia region is on track to achieve 40% reduction in malaria cases by 2020, driven by continued progress in the Greater Mekong Region and in India. Nonetheless, the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fallout threatens long-term gains made. Notably, the pandemic has reinforced the critical importance of timely, accurate and localized data and innovation to effectively fight infectious diseases like malaria. Dr Sarthak Das, CEO of the Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance, added: “Consistent leadership across much of Asia Pacific amidst emerging antimalarial resistance and COVID-19 has protected hard-earned progress over the past decade. While there is much to celebrate in regard to progress, we must continue to not only support nations on the verge of elimination but also ensure that higher-burden countries like India, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea are not forgotten. These actions will sustain the momentum towards our goal of eliminating malaria in the Asia Pacific by 2030”.
In November 2020, Leaders at the East Asia Summit recommitted to the 2030 malaria elimination goal and welcomed ongoing efforts to implement proposed actions in the Asia Pacific Leaders’ Malaria Elimination Roadmap, including the five-year progress report delivered. The five-year report (2015-2019) highlights the importance of engaging with the private sector. The report can be accessed here.
In October, the Alliance published an article detailing how Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance (APLMA) and U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) have been working with a consortium of partners to raise awareness among policymakers in the Asia–Pacific region about SFs and propose concrete steps to strengthen the global medical product supply chain through the Medicines We Can Trust campaign and other initiatives.
The President’s Malaria Initiative
PMI celebrated its 15th anniversary at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) during a virtual session moderated by former ASTMH President Dr. Dyann Wirth. The event featured a fireside chat with past and present U.S. Global Malaria Coordinators -- Rear Admiral Tim Ziemer and Dr. Ken Staley -- and remarks from national malaria control leaders from Uganda, Cambodia, and Cameroon.
The Global Fund to Fight HIV, TB, and Malaria
The Global Fund has full deployed all of the nearly US$1 billion it awarded to 106 countries to support their responses to the pandemic. But more support is required to meet ongoing challenges, including the need for more funding for manufacturing and distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE), testing supplies, and treatment programs. Unfunded country requests now exceed US$355 million.
Earlier in December, The Global Fund appointed Tracy Staines, a seasoned executive with over 20 years of multi-sectoral experience in audit and risk management, including eight years at the Global Fund, as Inspector General. Joining Staines is Hui C. Yang, a highly experienced supply chain executive, who was appointed head of the Global Fund’s Supply Operations Department.