Africa-Press – Gambia. In advance of World Malaria Day, The Gambia’s Ministry of Health, through the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP), held a press briefing on Tuesday to reaffirm the nation’s commitment to ending malaria, a disease that continues to weigh heavily on public health systems across sub-Saharan Africa.
Held at the NMCP Conference Hall in Kanifing, the event brought together health officials, international partners, and representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO) to highlight progress made and underscore the challenges that persist in the country’s malaria control efforts.
World Malaria Day, commemorated annually on April 25, was instituted in 2007 by the 60th World Health Assembly to sustain global attention on malaria prevention and control. This year’s theme, “Malaria Ends With Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite,” calls on governments, donors, researchers, and communities to reaffirm their commitment through sustained funding, innovation, and strategic partnerships.
Speaking on behalf of the Director of Health Services, Musa Camara, the Regional Health Director for Western Health Region 1, noted that while The Gambia has recorded notable gains in its fight against malaria, the momentum must not wane in the face of financial and logistical hurdles.
“This year’s Theme, Malaria Ends with Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite,” is very fitting as the world is faced with reduced global financial investment towards malaria control, which is further exacerbated by the recent USAID funding cost across the globe. This calls for adopting innovative and sustainable financing mechanisms to maintain the gains registered. The ministry of health and its partners will continue to harness domestic and international resources towards proven and cost-effective interventions and services to achieve elimination in the Gambia,” he said.
The WHO Country Representative to The Gambia echoed this sentiment, noting that the day presents an opportunity to assess achievements and recommit to combating what remains one of the world’s most enduring and deadly diseases.
“The Impact of Malaria, is felt by families every single rainy season, when the sky darkens and rains begin—the silent fear of mosquito bites, fevers and rush visits to health centers often in the dead of the night. Its storm is heavy on young children, expecting mothers, those whose health is most vulnerable,” he said.
Despite intensified global and regional efforts, malaria continues to pose a significant threat. In 2023 alone, the WHO reported an estimated 263 million new malaria cases and nearly 600,000 deaths—95 percent of which occurred in the African region.
Balla Gibba, Assistant Programme Manager at the NMCP, emphasized the need for ongoing public awareness, innovation, and political commitment.
“We have done but we still have to do a lot more and that is a call for us to reignite our efforts, advocating more, investing and promoting innovative approaches to tools that can better handle the disease that is still a problem,” he said.
The press briefing forms part of a series of engagements leading up to World Malaria Day, which will see communities across The Gambia engage in outreach campaigns, mosquito net distributions, and educational activities aimed at bolstering grassroots awareness and resilience.
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