In February around a hundred business leaders and representatives of governments and organizations from Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Senegal and Uganda gathered at an awards ceremony to celebrate the private sector champions and companies that have contributed to the fight against malaria through the “Zero Malaria Business Leadership Initiative”. Nine companies and three champions, were recognized for their significant contributions to the fight against malaria between 2021 and 2024, to the tune of USD 6 million in in-kind and financial contributions.
According to the WHO, despite sustained global efforts to reduce malaria cases, 249 million cases were recorded in 2022, 94% of them in sub-Saharan Africa. This preventable and treatable disease caused 608,000 deaths worldwide. It is against this backdrop that in 2020, the Ecobank Group, in collaboration with the RBM Partnership to End Malaria and Speak Up Africa, launched the “Zero Malaria Business Leadership Initiative” to mobilize the private sector for malaria control efforts. Since its launch, the initiative, implemented in Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Senegal and Uganda, has raised USD 6 million in financial and in-kind contributions.
To date, some sixty companies from the African private sector have contributed, and many business leaders considered champions in this fight have lent their voice and expertise to strengthen the prioritization of malaria by bringing together decision-makers.
Yves Mayilamene, Group Executive, Human Resources, Ecobank, declared: “As the leading pan-African banking Group, we could not remain insensitive to the damage caused by this disease within our communities. We are an African bank, and our purpose is Africa. We are also firmly committed to going beyond in meeting our corporate and social responsibility. This is exemplified by our Ecobank Foundation through which Ecobank shows its actions as a good corporate citizen. Therefore, launching the Zero Malaria Business Leadership Initiative in 2020 was no surprise. Together, we recognised that the private sector must play a major role in helping to end malaria by providing essential funding, broader awareness and political advocacy – and acting as champions. Doing so, they help strengthen the partnership around national malaria control programmes.”
The ceremony marks the close of the initiative’s successful pilot phase. The lessons learned will help document the social impact that private sector involvement can play.
For more information visit www.ecobank.com
