At a time of historic progress toward a malaria-free Africa, the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) honored eight African countries that have shown commitment and innovation in the fight against the disease.
Today at the 28th African Union Summit, the 2017 ALMA Awards for Excellence were awarded to:
- Botswana, Cabo Verde, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Swaziland and Uganda, for their impact on malaria incidence and mortality; and
- Chad, for its leadership in the fight against malaria.
The ALMA Awards for Excellence recognize countries for their significant achievements in malaria control and elimination. Botswana, Cabo Verde, Comoros, DRC, Ethiopia, Swaziland and Uganda have all achieved a reduction in malaria incidence of 40 percent or more from 2010-2015. The significant reduction in malaria in the three high-burden countries (DRC, Ethiopia and Uganda) demonstrates what can be achieved with political commitment, adequate financing and implementation of technically sound and evidence-based vector control and case management interventions, even where malaria transmission is high. Botswana, Cabo Verde, Comoros and Swaziland are commended for sustaining the gains previously made between 2000-2010. The World Health Organization (WHO) said they are all on track to eliminate malaria by 2020.
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