The West African Health Organisation (WAHO) has reaffirmed its commitment to malaria control across the ECOWAS region in solidarity with member states, partners, and the global community marking World Malaria Day.
According to WAHO, West Africa accounts for about 40% of the global malaria burden, making the disease one of the region’s most pressing public health challenges. While significant progress has been recorded through national malaria control programmes and regional coordination, malaria continues to disproportionately affect vulnerable groups, especially children under five and pregnant women.
WAHO commended member states for scaling up key interventions such as insecticide-treated nets, indoor residual spraying, seasonal malaria chemoprevention, rapid diagnostic testing, and effective treatment. It also noted the introduction of malaria vaccines in several countries as a historic milestone in the fight against the disease.
However, the organisation raised concern over stalled progress in some areas due to funding gaps, insecticide and drug resistance, climate change, and ongoing conflicts disrupting health services. These challenges, it warned, threaten to reverse earlier gains.
WAHO therefore called on governments, development partners, civil society, and the private sector to increase investment in malaria prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, while strengthening health systems and community-based interventions.
It also stressed the importance of cross-border collaboration, noting that malaria elimination cannot be achieved by any single country alone.
“Together, we can accelerate towards a malaria-free West Africa and protect the lives of millions,” the organisation stated.
