To boost fight against disease: Francophone Alliance of Media, Journalists against Malaria in Africa launched.

This was during a three-day regional workshop which brought together media professionals from Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, DR Congo Cote D’Ivoire and Sierra Leone.

Established by the Non-Governmental Organization, Impact Santé Afrique, ISA, officials said AFRIMPA will serves as a focal point for capacity-building amongst media professionals in Francophone countries, with a view to promoting malaria control initiatives through the various media outlets. 

According to the Executive Director of Impact Santé Afrique, Olivia Ngou, the attention that the media pays to malaria is not commensurate with the devastation caused by the disease. 

She explained that the malaria is evolving with resistances and other emerging threats. This, Ngou said, compels stakeholders to look beyond the storytelling of yesteryears.

Another issue that warranted the Alliance, she said, is the malaria financing which has come under pressure. 

“Journalists must be able to understand not only how much money is announced, but also where it comes from, where it goes, and whether the commitments made are truly being kept,” she pointed. 

Going by the Executive Director, through the network, media professionals can continue to learn, access information and experts, develop topics, collaborate across borders, and follow malaria issues over the long term.

“Our vision is that of a connected regional alliance, bringing together informed, motivated, and equipped media professionals to maintain public attention on malaria, and to contribute to stronger accountability and advocacy in favor of an effective and sufficiently funded response everywhere in Francophone Africa,” she assured.

Ngou also avowed that they hope to enhance the quality, consistency, and impact of media coverage of malaria in Francophone Africa.

“The moment public attention wanes is precisely the moment when the most important decisions are made. We cannot afford to let malaria become invisible at the exact moment our leaders must make tough choices regarding its funding,” she added.

Alliance to fill void

The Minister of Health and Population of Congo, praised the Olivia Ngou-led ISA for initiating and hosting the secretariat of the Alliance.

Prof Ibara revealed that at a time when information travels at unprecedented speed, the fight against malaria must also be a fight against disinformation. 

According to him, a rumour about a medicine, unverified information about a vaccine, a misinterpretation of epidemiological data, or an unfounded alarmist message can divert populations away from beneficial interventions. 

Within such context, he opined that health journalism must therefore combine three requirements of rigour, verification, and pedagogy.

The Congolese member of government affirmed that the creation of the Alliance comes to fill a real void; that of a regional Francophone mechanism capable of connecting journalists committed to the malaria cause.

“We must build a lasting alliance between the media, scientists, health professionals, public authorities, community organisations, and development partners. This alliance must make it possible to transform complex data into comprehensible messages, public policies into visible actions, and scientific recommendations into protective behaviours,” Prof Ibara stated.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3906 of Friday September 11, 2026