Ministers of Health from African countries with the highest malaria burden have committed to accelerated action to end deaths from the disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a statement committing to provide stronger leadership and increased domestic funding for malaria control programmes. The ministers pledged to ensure further investment in data technology, apply the latest technical guidance in malaria control and elimination, and enhance malaria control efforts at national and sub-national levels. They also pledged to sustainably and equitably address the threat of malaria in the African region, which accounts for 95% of malaria deaths globally.
The Yaoundé conference, co-hosted by WHO and the Government of Cameroon, gathered ministers of health, global malaria partners, funding agencies, scientists, civil society organizations, and other principal malaria stakeholders. The ministerial conference had four key aims: to review progress and challenges in achieving the targets of the WHO global malaria strategy, discuss mitigation strategies and funding for malaria, agree on effective strategies and responses for accelerated malaria mortality reduction in Africa, and establish a roadmap for increased political commitment and societal engagement in malaria control with a clear accountability mechanism.