Kenya’s End Malaria Council (EMC) is ramping up efforts to address the funding gap in the country’s malaria control initiatives, a critical move aimed at ensuring the continued progress in the fight against malaria. This comes as Kenya joins a broader regional initiative to combat the disease, which remains a major public health challenge despite significant strides made in recent years.
The urgency of this mission was highlighted during the 2025 End Malaria Councils and Funds Chairs Meeting, held in Nairobi. Leaders from seven African nations, including Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Zambia, and Eswatini, came together to discuss the estimated US$6.3 billion needed annually to sustain and expand malaria control efforts across the continent.
Chris Getonga, Chair of Kenya’s End Malaria Council, emphasized the importance of domestic resource mobilization, particularly from the private sector, to close the widening funding gap. With global donor funding on the decline, Getonga warned that the progress made so far could be reversed unless African countries take ownership and mobilize local resources for malaria control programs.
While Kenya has made commendable strides in reducing malaria prevalence—from 8% in 2015 to 6% in 2023—the country continues to face significant challenges. In 2022, Kenya reported 5 million malaria cases and more than 12,000 deaths, underscoring the ongoing threat. The situation is further complicated by the growing issue of insecticide resistance, particularly in regions around Lake Victoria.
In response, the EMC has been actively securing funding for malaria control initiatives. Since its inception in 2021, the council has successfully mobilized US$400,000 from SC Johnson for biolarviciding efforts using drones in Busia County and US$1 million for social behavior change campaigns, malaria clinics at border areas, and the deployment of new malaria prevention tools.
At the Nairobi meeting, the challenges of external funding dependence were also discussed. Mazrui Nassor, Zanzibar’s Minister of Health, pointed out that 70% of malaria funding in Africa still comes from international donors, calling for increased domestic investment to reduce this reliance and ensure the long-term sustainability of malaria elimination efforts.
As Africa faces a critical moment in its battle against malaria, the Nairobi summit reinforced the need for continued innovation, collaboration, and investment in the fight to eliminate the disease by 2030. Kenya’s End Malaria Council remains committed to leading this mission, utilizing private-sector partnerships to bridge the funding gap and push forward the battle against one of Africa’s most persistent health threats.
