President Uhuru Kenyatta has appealed to the international community not to ignore the fight against malaria despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Speaking on Monday night, President Kenyatta who is the current Chairman of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA), said it is unfortunate that Covid-19 pandemic has overshadowed all the efforts that had gone into fighting malaria.
He reminded the global community that malaria is a dangerous disease and one of the greatest killers in the world today.
“As a result, we have tended to forget that pandemics such as malaria are greatest killers today in the African continent than Covid is.
“Let us get our partners to understand that it is in the interest of everybody that we keep our eye on the ball. The fight against malaria, the fight against TB and the fight against HIV/AIDs – these are all critical fights that will ensure that we are better placed not only to fight the current pandemics but also help us prepare against future pandemics,” the President during a virtual address to the End Malaria Council (EMC).
President Uhuru Kenyatta delivering a virtual address to the End Malaria Council. [Photo: Courtesy]
EMC is a group of global public sector and business leaders that sees malaria eradication as a critical health and development priority.
During the address, President Kenyatta emphasized the need to focus on ALMA’s four-point agenda, adding that priority should be on digitalisation and use of real-time data.
Issuing an update on progress made by the alliance under his leadership, President Kenyatta said ALMA has engaged Regional Economic Communities (RECs) at the Heads of State and Government level to address key challenges and provide solutions in the fight against malaria.
He further noted that ALMA has also created End Malaria Councils and Funds to boost high-level, multi-sectoral engagement and involve advocacy at all level of governance as well as launched the ALMA ‘Youth Army’.
The meeting was attended by; former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, Mr Bill Gates, Dangote Group CEO Mr Aliko Dangote and WHO Ambassador for Global Strategy and Health Financing Ray Chambers.
Head of Public Service Dr Joseph Kinyua, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe and ALMA Senior Advisor Dr Willis Akhwale were also present at the virtual meeting.
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