Hope in Action: Dr. Mumba on Reclaiming Progress Against Malaria

As a medical doctor, I have witnessed firsthand the devastating toll that malaria continues to exact on communities across Africa—particularly among children under five and pregnant women. These experiences have profoundly shaped my unwavering commitment to advancing sustainable, high-impact solutions in the fight against this preventable disease.

“In recent months, the sharp decline in traditional donor funding has placed malaria control programs in many endemic countries under significant strain. This sudden contraction threatens to reverse decades of hard-won progress and demands immediate, innovative action. The Bridge the Gap (BTG) Initiative for Malaria was conceived precisely for such a moment. It offers a nimble, strategic approach to bridging emerging gaps by swiftly identifying and prioritizing critical funding needs, mobilizing expert technical teams to develop evidence-based intervention strategies, and linking these directly to alternative sources of financing.

Our early engagements with National Malaria Programs (NMPs) in Zambia, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo—countries with some of the highest malaria burdens in Africa—have been met with exceptional enthusiasm. Many NMPs view BTG not only as timely, but as a catalytic initiative capable of reshaping the trajectory of malaria control and elimination efforts.

It is this shared conviction—combined with the urgency of the challenge and the unwavering dedication of my team and our partners—that fuels my optimism. Together, I am confident we can drive measurable progress and lay a strong foundation for a malaria-free future in Africa”