Karang, Senegal - Malaria continues to pose a significant public health and development challenge. The most recent World Malaria Report revealed an estimated 241 million malaria cases and 627,000 deaths in 2020. The WHO African Region carries a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden being home to 95% and 96% of malaria cases and deaths respectively.

It is in this vein that the ministries of health in The Gambia and Senegal via their departments of National Malaria Control Program on Sunday 8 May 2022, launched the campaign for the distribution of long-lasting bed nets. The colorful event held at Karang in Senegal was attended by prominent officials of both countries and sister institutions.

The event was presided over by the Hon. Ministers for Health, Dr. Ahmadou Lamin Samateh of the Gambia, and his Counterpart Monsieur Abdoulie Diouf-Sarr.

Dr. Samateh in his statement referred to the 2018 convention, signed by both Senegal and the Gambia to foster collaboration towards the elimination of malaria across both countries. He emphasized that “the Sene-Gambia Malaria Initiative”, has established a strategic mechanism to harmonize malaria interventions, collaborative analysis of epidemiological and entomological data and promote scale-up of best practices, particularly across the vast border communities.

Hon. Samateh highlighted that complacency is not an option when malaria thrives and people continue to die, most of them young children, from preventable and treatable disease. It is therefore time to revisit our programs, renew partnerships and enhance cross-border collaboration to not lose our hard-earned gains of the past decade, he lamented.

Dr. Samateh also made emphasis on continued investment in malaria control efforts to propel malaria endemic countries toward near-zero deaths by 2030 and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, especially those related to improving child survival and maternal health.

On his part, Monsieur Abdoulie Diouf-Sarr expressed his delight and commitment to join the fight against malaria and urged beneficiaries to make good use of the bed nets.

In a joint WHO Senegal and the Gambia statement, the WHO Representative in the Gambia, Dr. Desta Tiruneh, informed the gathering that over the last two decades, expanded access to WHO-recommended malaria prevention tools and strategies – including effective vector control and the use of preventive antimalarial drugs – has had a major impact in reducing the global burden of this disease

Dr. Desta urged the Malaria Programs and health care workers in both countries to identify challenges in the utilization of LLINs and introduce innovative ways to improve usage. He stressed that innovation forms the cornerstone in the fight against malaria and it is the only way we can further reduce the incidence and deaths caused by malaria in both Senegal and The Gambia. . This he noted is in line with the call made by Dr Moeti, the WHO AFRO Regional Director and this this year’s theme for World Malaria Day 2022, “Harness innovation to reduce the malaria disease burden and save lives”.

“Despite the disruptions of health services due to COVID-19, we are still significantly further ahead in our progress to curtail Malaria than we were in 2000”, Dr. Desta remarked.

On behalf of WHO, Dr. Tiruneh commended the Government of The Gambia and Senegal for the remarkable achievement in the reduction of morbidity by 40%-5% reduction between 2015 and 2020 although no reduction was registered in malaria mortality.

He extended WHO’s appreciations to bilateral and multilateral partners and donors that are supporting Member States to reduce the dreadful impact of malaria.

He finally reassured WHO’s commitment in the fight against malaria, noting that with the right approaches, innovative tools, and strong partnerships, we remain hopeful that we can overcome the challenges and increase the momentum to achieve a malaria-free Africa.

Other speakers included the Mayor of Karang and Governor of North Bank region of the Gambia, USAID Global Health Malaria Division Chief, the Catholic Relief Services, Women group leader who declared their continued partnership in the elimination of Malaria in the cross-border.

Fallen heroes from the two countries who dedicated their lives in the fight against malaria were also remembered and honored.