SOURCE: GBCHealth
DESCRIPTION:
May 21, 2021 /3BL Media/ - Leading private sector organizations come together to support action to tackle malaria, one of the world’s oldest pandemics.
Access Bank, Chevron, Aliko Dangote Foundation and Vestergaard announced their support and financial commitments for the new End Malaria Project, a 3-year initiative led by the Corporate Alliance on Malaria in Africa (CAMA). Working closely with partners in Nigeria, and more widely across Africa, the End Malaria Project will catalyze private sector resources and capabilities to increase awareness and support malaria control efforts, saving 50 million lives.
Sustaining Progress in the Fight to End Malaria
The commitments were made during a virtual high-level dialogue hosted by CAMA, GBCHealth and Wilton Park. The event brought together global thought-leaders, policy makers and investors to understand opportunities to enhance political and private sector commitments and investments in the drive towards malaria elimination.
Speakers and participants discussed ways to achieve this goal. Recommendations included broadening the network of organizations engaged in malaria elimination efforts, highlighting the need for investment and collaboration to scale up innovations, and exploring novel partnership and financing models. Debate on how to accomplish this in the context of COVID-19 focused on the importance of adhering to the 2030 goals and the need for renewed energy, financing and focus to end malaria.
About the End Malaria Project
The goal of the End Malaria Project is to save at least 50,000 lives by 2023. Starting in Nigeria, the aim is to scale the approach and to partner with other countries for impact more widely across Africa. CAMA member companies serve as the project’s advisory committee, contributing their expertise and guidance to the initiative. Their employees, and the communities in which they work, will gain increased knowledge on prevention, treatment, and management of malaria through the initiative.
“The End Malaria Project offers an opportunity for businesses not only to make the world a healthier place but to directly support the health of their employees and the communities in which they operate,” said Dr. Francis Aminu, Director, Health and Nutrition, Aliko Dangote Foundation. “The initiative will generate insights to help businesses shape their own malaria response plans for staff working in the endemic communities, and will feature opportunities to engage in and influence dialogue that will impact malaria outcomes at scale.”
“The commitments announced for the End Malaria Project represent the start of a partnership that will, over the coming years, extend across Nigeria and other African countries most affected by malaria,” said Dr. Janis Davis-Street, Global Director, Public Health & Special Projects, Chevron, and Co-Chair of CAMA. “We encourage other organizations – private sector, foundations and NGOs – to join us in this bold initiative and bring their expertise, intellectual capital and resources to the global effort to end malaria.”
“As the African proverb goes, it takes a village to raise a child, and it will take all of our efforts to eliminate malaria in Africa,” said Michael Joos, CEO, Vestergaard. “Through the End Malaria Project commitments, we are able to facilitate innovation through knowledge sharing, data gathering and in-kind support to the betterment of communities affected by malaria, and we are privileged to be part of this journey.”
GBCHealth and CAMA are seeking partners who also want to make a difference, and work with us to make vital progress against one of the world’s oldest pandemics. We encourage any interested organizations to reach out to us here.
CAMA Dialogue Series
This dialogue was the final meeting of a three-part series which CAMA hosted with partners between March-May 2021. The first event focused on vector control in Nigeria, and the second event brought together the malaria community to discuss how to ensure progress in the fight to end malaria during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. CAMA will share key takeaways from the event series in the coming weeks.
About GBCHealth
GBCHealth serves as a hub for business engagement on the world’s most pressing health challenges. It has a strong track record of catalyzing private sector investments and partnerships, designing platforms to build knowledge and multi-stakeholder collaboration, and creating tools to support companies’ ability to improve health and wellness in the workplace, in communities and collectively at a national, regional or global level.
Founded in 2001, GBCHealth continues to inspire business to leverage its power and resources to transform the health of society in innovative ways. Drawing on its network of hundreds of companies and partners, GBCHealth drives progress in the areas of greatest need including malaria, HIV/AIDS, TB and other epidemics; sexual and reproductive health rights; maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health; nutrition; and NCDs, areas where we believe the assets of the business community can have maximum impact as we work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and equitable health for all. GBCHealth also manages the Private Sector Constituency to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, serves as the Secretariat for the Corporate Alliance on Malaria in Africa, is co-founder of ABCHealth, and continues to proactively support women’s health and empowerment and the Demographic Dividend through partnerships in the Sahel.
About CAMA
CAMA is a unique coalition of companies from various industries, all with business interests in Africa. CAMA channels the collective force and voice of the private sector to drive impact on malaria in Africa from workplaces to region-wide initiatives. CAMA is a platform for corporations working in Africa to share best practices, create new partnerships and gain visibility for malaria control efforts across the continent. CAMA companies both lead and support innovative malaria prevention, control and treatment activities and collectively deploy millions of dollars to programs that serve the needs of malaria-affected people and communities. CAMA also provides a forum for business to engage with and build relations with malaria-focused government and civil society stakeholders. CAMA is a membership-based Alliance. Learn how you can join CAMA at www.gbchealth.org. Or contact us to see how your organization can become an official CAMA Partner.
About Wilton Park
As an executive agency of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Wilton Park is an integral part of the UK's public diplomacy work. We build trusted and enduring networks across the world - combining today's policy makers, experts and influencers with those of tomorrow. Our bespoke networks deepen policy understanding, generate fresh thinking and drive innovation - catalysing action on global issues. Find out more at www.wiltonpark.org.uk or connect with us to learn more about our work.
KEYWORDS: GBCHealth, Malaria
