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Published 31 minutes ago
Presented by GBCHealth
LAGOS, Nigeria, Dec 1, 2020 / CSRwire / – The Corporate Alliance on Malaria in Africa (CAMA) announced the launch of its strategic plan for 2021-2023, which sets out the action plan for the next three years. Through private sector initiatives, the Alliance aims to reach millions of people with malaria control interventions to improve awareness and expand prevention activities. The plan was launched at CAMA’s 2020 Partner Meeting, which took place virtually on November 24, 2020.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic represents an additional burden on healthcare systems around the world. Many countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, now face the dual challenge of protecting their citizens against existing public health threats, such as malaria, and emerging ones, such as COVID-19. The malaria situation in Africa was critical before the emergence of COVID-19, which now threatens to derail years of progress in the fight against malaria. In 2018, the WHO African Region accounted for 94% of all malaria deaths and 93% (213 million) of global malaria cases.
Since its inception, CAMA has been a trusted platform for knowledge sharing and networking, with an initial focus on company-led workplace programs and community malaria programs. Over the past decade, CAMA has evolved into an alliance with broad industry representation beyond the extractive industry to include commodity manufacturers, construction companies, beverage companies, and financial services companies. Today, it also facilitates private sector participation in the development of national responses to malaria, as well as regional initiatives.
“We benefit from healthier communities as they are interconnected with our business outcomes, economies, and improved local capabilities,” said Michael Steinberg, team leader, Global Public Health and Special Projects, Chevron Corporation and Co-Chair, BED . “CAMA’s work also contributes to improving systems, partnerships and learnings that benefit local capacities far beyond [malaria]and it really supports global health security. “
Key results of the strategic plan include increased private sector participation and investment in malaria programming, reaching at least five million people directly with malaria commodities and 100 million people with prevention and control messages through through strengthened public-private partnerships, and more.
“There is still much we can do together to advance our goal as a responsible coalition and as responsible companies in the face of global health challenges,” said Omobolanle Victor-Laniyan, Director of Sustainability, Access Bank and co-chair of CAMA. “I assure you of our continued commitment to fostering collaborative efforts in the fight against malaria.”
Key elements of the strategic plan include expanding work in high-burden countries to rapidly reduce malaria cases and deaths through better involvement of the private sector; provide support to businesses to develop and expand the workplace, as well as community initiatives that will improve efforts to control and eliminate malaria in the country; help guide regional and national policies and strategies to improve malaria control and accelerate elimination; continue to serve as a neutral forum and platform for sharing information, best practices, and enhancing member understanding and visibility of the program; and fostering multisectoral coordination and partnerships with key stakeholders and influential parties in the health community to scale up malaria control and elimination efforts in the country.
The End Malaria Project will be an important initiative under the new strategic plan. It will be launched as a pilot program in Nigeria and will expand to other high-burden African countries. The project will galvanize the resources and capacities of the private sector to reduce the incidence and prevalence of malaria in Nigeria’s most endemic communities by 2023, a step to complement the government’s efforts to achieve a malaria-free Nigeria.
“This meeting has come at the right time; the [Nigeria National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP)] is about to launch the new strategic plan that will be developed between 2021 and 2025, ”said Dr. Audu Bala Mohammed, NMEP Coordinator. “We have seen how the private sector made a huge difference when the COVID-19 pandemic began … We are confident that this partnership and collaboration will be of great help to [Nigeria] to tackle the problem of malaria. “
“Over the years we have found that private sector engagement is very effective when we adopt the right strategies, so we are going to step up [these efforts] in our next strategic plan, ”said Eunice Mintah Agyemang, BCC Specialist, National Malaria Control Program, on behalf of Dr. Keziah Malm, National Coordinator, National Malaria Control Program, Ghana. “We have launched a committee that is studying advocacy strategies to involve the private sector and other public sector institutions that will be relevant to improve our strategies and achieve the elimination of malaria.”
“The powerful link between health and business is very clear today,” said Nancy Wildfeir-Field, president of GBCHealth. “More than ever, the private sector has a vital role to play in mobilizing innovation and resources, and in strengthening our collective efforts to eliminate malaria. We need to think about product innovation, supply and delivery chains and how we partner with each other. “
“We are delighted to launch CAMA’s strategic plan in partnership with our members. It sets a vision and the way forward for the Alliance for the next three years, ”said Ochuko Keyamo-Onyige, Country Manager, Nigeria, GBCHealth. “Our 14-year history in Africa has an impressive legacy. This plan will continue to build on our notable achievements and help to achieve stronger representation, better collaboration across sectors, growth, sustainability, and most importantly, help accelerate our impact on malaria control and elimination efforts in Africa “.
About BED
CAMA is an initiative led by GBCHealth to advance partnerships for malaria control and elimination. The Alliance is a unique coalition of companies from diverse industries, all with business interests in Africa. CAMA channels the collective strength and voice of the private sector to drive the impact on malaria in Africa from the workplace to regional initiatives. CAMA is a platform for companies working in Africa to share best practices, create new partnerships, and gain visibility for malaria control efforts across the continent. CAMA companies lead and support innovative malaria prevention, control and treatment activities and collectively commit millions of dollars to programs that serve the needs of people and communities affected by malaria. CAMA also provides a forum for companies to engage and build relationships with government and civil society stakeholders focused on malaria. CAMA is a member-based alliance. Learn how to join CAMA at www.gbchealth.org. Or contact us to see how your organization can become an official CAMA partner.
GBCHealth
GBCHealth
GBCHealth is a network of more than 300 companies and development organizations that lead business action to improve global health. Since 2001, GBCHealth has worked with hundreds of companies, individually and in partnership, to address the challenges of HIV / AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, and reproductive, maternal, child and adolescent health issues.
Through work that includes developing comprehensive workplace policies, supporting community programs, leveraging core competencies, facilitating advocacy by business leaders, and brokering public-private partnerships , GBCHealth helps companies achieve their global health goals. GBCHealth also manages the Private Sector Delegation to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and is the secretariat of the Business Alliance Against Malaria in Africa.
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