Combatting malaria: African MPs brainstorm to improve strategy, sustained financing.

The meeting unfolded under the theme: “Advocacy for the 2026 national health budget: mobilizing to close funding gaps in the fight against malaria”.

The session was jointly chaired by COPEMA’s Co-Chairs, Hon Santa Okot from Uganda and Hon Njume Peter from Cameroon. 

The meeting brought together parliamentarians from Cameroon, Uganda, Ghana, DR Congo, Mozambique, as well as representatives from National Malaria Control Programmes, Civil Society Organisations, and technical partners.

It aimed at reinforcing the strategic role of parliamentarians in national budget processes, with a focus on advocacy opportunities, synergies with national malaria control programmes, and innovations led by technical partners and the private sector.

In her opening remarks, Hon Santa Okot emphasised the critical importance of advocacy to mobilize funding and to close the financing gaps in the fight against malaria. 

The COPEMA co-chair stressed the responsibility of parliamentarians as budget decision-makers to translate commitments into concrete actions, working closely with national malaria programmes and civil society. 

“If we fail to close the funding gaps in our malaria programmes, we fail the people who have entrusted us with their well-being,” Hon Okot said. 

She added that: “We must speak with one voice to ensure malaria is at the forefront of those budgets because every additional dollar directed to malaria control saves lives, strengthens health systems, and brings us a step closer to a malaria-free Africa”.

Highlighting the progress made in Africa and underscoring ongoing challenges, like declining funding and the disproportionate impact on children and vulnerable populations, Hon Okot appealed for strengthened political mobilization and parliamentary commitment to ensure sustainable and prioritized malaria financing in national budgets.

During the session, the participants shared best practices and innovations from the private sector in malaria control, as well as encouraged coordination between parliamentarians, national programmes, and technical partners.

It was equally punctuated by key presentations focusing on innovation in malaria control pertinent to the African context, 2026 funding landscape, programmatic and financial gaps for malaria, drone and AI-driven mosquito breeding site identification.

In addition, COPEMA's core actions and strategic objectives were outlined centering on six priority areas to amplify parliamentary leadership, financing, and accountability in malaria control. 

Meanwhile, Hon Njume Peter in his closing remarks, expressed gratitude to stakeholders for the astute presentations, which shed lights on the funding gaps in the fight against malaria in 2026 as well as the need for all sectors to be mobilized in contributing to the elimination of the disease.

He also emphasised that eliminating malaria is achievable if commitments are translated into concrete actions and the necessary resources are mobilized. 

It should be recalled that since its launch, COPEMA has been committed to strengthening the role of African parliamentarians in the fight against malaria. 

Despite progress made in malaria control across the continent, the disease remained one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality, particularly affecting children under five and vulnerable populations.

In 2024, several African countries recorded a significant decline in funding allocated to malaria control, thus undermining efforts in prevention, treatment, and surveillance.  

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3629 of Wednesday November 19, 2025