Dear Partners,
As 2019 draws to a close, I am writing to thank you for your commitment and leadership in the fight against malaria, and to wish you all a peaceful, prosperous and healthy New Year 2020!
Indeed, 2019 proved to be another momentous year for the RBM Partnership to End Malaria: with renewed purpose to step up the fight against malaria and confirmation that ending malaria is a winnable fight, global stakeholders including governments, private sector, communities and civil society, took meaningful actions to reinforce global commitment to end this disease within a generation.
Malaria endemic countries have stepped up their efforts—from implementing the new “High Burden High Impact” response to get back on track to achieving malaria reduction targets—to an increasing number of countries approaching and reaching zero malaria.
Twelve African nations have thus far joined the growing Zero Malaria Starts with Me movement, and more are on the cusp of launching in-country campaigns and establishing national End Malaria Council and Funds. The Zero Malaria message has resonated throughout the year as the theme of World Malaria Day, unleashing creativity of people from all walks of life, and fostering engagement from the grassroots to the highest levels.
In 2019, both malaria-endemic and malaria-free countries heeded the call to increase malaria funding, culminating in the record-breaking US$ 14bn replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which accounts for 65% of all external resources for malaria programmes.
As the latest World Malaria Report has shown, continued global investment and commitment towards a world free of malaria have been critical to sustaining the progress the malaria community has made to date—without these global efforts, malaria cases and deaths would be significantly higher. But we must double down on our efforts to reach everyone, everywhere with life-saving tools and develop new ones to stay one step ahead of an evolving parasite.
As we head into this next decade during which we must achieve ambitious malaria reduction and elimination targets, we must invest in articulating the vision of what a world without malaria looks like, what is to be gained by prioritizing this goal, and what is needed to keep leaders accountable for achieving it.
This year’s accomplishments have been the sum of unique and valuable contributions by RBM Partners. And similarly, only through partnership will we be able to end malaria once and for all.
On behalf of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, I would like to thank you once again for all you do to advance our shared vision of a malaria-free world and look forward to strengthening our efforts in 2020 and the decade ahead, which will be critical to reaching zero malaria.
With best wishes,
Dr Abdourahmane Diallo MD, MPH
CEO RBM Partnership to End Malaria
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