LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA)- Nigerian journalist Franca Ofili, reported that Sierra Leone has become the focal point of West Africa’s renewed malaria fight, as health ministers and experts gathered in Freetown, warning that disjointed efforts continue to cost lives.
The just concluded 27th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Assembly of Health Ministers ended with strong calls for a coordinated, multi-sectoral response supported by real-time data.
Delegates warned that fragmented interventions and inefficient use of resources are slowing the progress of ending malaria.
The meeting, organized by the West African Health Organisation (WAHO), pushed for a stronger malaria elimination framework, implementation of regional community health policies, and adoption of the Freetown Charter.
Stakeholders described malaria as a leading cause of death in the region despite years of interventions.
In her report, Ofili highlighted concerns that weak coordination and disconnected strategies continue to undermine results.
The Assembly reviewed health performance across member states and proposed steps to improve decision-making and strengthen health systems.
Describing malaria elimination as a regional security issue, WAHO Director General, Dr Melchior Aissi, said the theme, “Advancing Malaria Elimination through an Integrated Regional Strategy,” reflects both the scale of the challenge and the urgency for joint action.
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“With West Africa carrying 40 percent of the world’s malaria burden, no country can eliminate malaria alone. In a region where people and mosquitoes move freely, fragmented campaigns will always fall short,” Aissi said.
He pointed to Cabo Verde’s malaria-free certification as proof that elimination is possible, while warning that gains could be reversed without stronger commitment.
“Elimination is not a one-time event; it is a sustained effort. Beyond political will, there are two non-negotiables: technical rigour and sustained domestic financing. Donor cycles end, but surveillance, testing, and treatment must continue every rainy season,” he added.
According to Ofili, WAHO’s DG presented a regional strategy built on five pillars, including stronger health governance, digital surveillance systems, effective data use, local innovation, and community engagement.
He stressed that coordinated cross-border action is critical.
The Lead of WAHO partners, Mr Dionke Fofana, speaking for development partners, reaffirmed support for stronger health systems.
He called for shared priorities, increased domestic funding, innovation, and greater private sector involvement.
The Assembly reviewed WAHO’s 2025 Annual Report and approved the malaria elimination framework.
Notably, discussions also covered health priorities such as financing, breastfeeding standards, and climate adaptation.
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Furthermore, Sierra Leone’s President Julius Bio, represented by Chief Minister David Sengeh, described population health as a key test of governance and called for measurable outcomes driven by innovation.
The country’s Health Minister, Dr Austin Demby, also warned that global malaria progress has stalled since 2015, citing reduced funding and climate change as major threats.
“Financing, insecticide resistance, vaccine deployment and treatment strategies are handled in isolation rather than as interconnected components of a single response framework,” Demby noted.
Ofili in her report highlighted Demby’s call for collaboration across sectors, stressing that malaria elimination goes beyond the health sector.
In commemoration of World Malaria Day 2026, WAHO stressed that children under five and pregnant women remain the most affected.
The organization further cited funding gaps, resistance to drugs and insecticides, climate change, and conflict as ongoing challenges stalling progress.
“Cross-border collaboration is non-negotiable. No single country can eliminate malaria alone. From joint surveillance to synchronized campaigns in border districts, collective action is the only path to a malaria-free West Africa,” WAHO stated.
Ofili maintained that experts believe the real impact of the meeting will depend on actions taken after the ministers leave Freetown.
Ultimately, in the words of Aissi, “No country can eliminate malaria in isolation; our solidarity, our data, and our domestic commitment will decide if we meet this target in ten years, or if we fail our people again.”
(NAN)
