STORY: African officials pledge continuity of malaria financing amid donor uncertainties
SHOOTING TIME: Feb. 5, 2025
DATELINE: Feb. 6, 2025
LENGTH: 00:01:15
LOCATION: Nairobi
CATEGORY: HEALTH

SHOTLIST:
1. various of forum banners
2. various of experts and scientists in the forum
3. SOUNDBITE (English): CHRIS GETONGA, Chairman of the End Malaria Council Kenya
4. various of the forum

STORYLINE:

The financing of malaria programs across sub-Saharan Africa will continue as governments shift to domestic resources and plug shortfalls occasioned by the abrupt halt in support from Western donors, senior officials said Wednesday at a forum in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital.
   
Hosted by the End Malaria Council Kenya and the African Leaders Malaria Alliance, the day-long forum discussed innovative strategies to ramp up domestic financing of malaria programs on the continent amid growing fatigue from foreign donors.
   
An estimated 6.3 billion U.S. dollars is required annually to sustain the malaria fight in Africa, inching the continent closer to eliminating the mosquito-transmitted disease by 2030, noted the officials and experts at the forum.
   
Christopher Getonga, chairman of the End Malaria Council Kenya, acknowledged Africa's high malaria burden, which has exerted pressure on public coffers and hampered economic growth.

SOUNDBITE (English): CHRISTOPHER GETONGA, Chairman of the End Malaria Council Kenya
"It's even more important now that the End Malaria Councils in all our African countries, where malaria is endemic, really are able to engage private sector to help bridge the gap you just talked about. Close to one in every five or six seconds a child or pregnant mother is affected with malaria. Our deaths in Africa alone probably are close to about 700,000."

To bridge the malaria financing gap, Getonga called on governments to strengthen partnerships with industry and encourage contributions from local philanthropists while utilizing available resources prudently.

In Kenya, the financing gap for malaria control stands at 23 to 25 million dollars, Getonga said, adding that contingency plans are in place to ensure the fight against the tropical disease is not disrupted by geopolitical uncertainties.
   
The sub-Saharan African region accounted for 94 percent of 263 million malaria cases recorded globally in 2023, according to the World Health Organization.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Nairobi.
(XHTV)