ABCHealth becomes CAMA secretariat to enhance fight against malaria in Africa

The African Business Coalition for Health (ABCHealth) has been appointed as the new secretariat for the Corporate Alliance on Malaria in Africa (CAMA).

In a statement on Monday, ABCHealth said the development marks a pivotal moment in its journey towards enhancing health systems across the continent, as it assumes stewardship of CAMA from the Global Business Coalition for Health (GBCHealth) based in New York, United States.

“As the new Secretariat for CAMA, ABCHealth will build on the successes achieved over the past 17 years, providing value to its members in relevance and scaled impact in the fight against malaria,” ABCHealth said.

“This appointment is a key milestone in GBCHealth’s plan to transition its work to being fully African-led.

“Placing the leadership and management of CAMA within ABCHealth is a testament to its Theory of Change in Cultivating Partnerships and Mobilising Private Sector resources to improve healthcare in Africa and change the way it works.

“ABCHealth works closely with Africa’s private sector leaders as well as global organisations to help improve the health and well-being of all Africans.”

‘WE’RE PROUD TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTROL AND ELIMINATE MALARIA’

ABCHealth said it is proud to assume the responsibility of leading CAMA and its esteemed member organisations, as well as the broader malaria ecosystem, in a collaborative effort to control and ultimately eliminate malaria in Africa.

Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, chairman of ABCHealth, said the transition of CAMA to ABCHealth serves as an opportunity for partners in both public and private sectors to collaborate towards improved health outcomes across Africa.

“The current challenges facing Africa’s healthcare and its disproportionate disease burden reinforces the strong business case for private sector engagement in health,” Aig-Imoukhuede said.

Zouera Youssoufou, chief executive officer (CEO) of Aliko Dangote Foundation and ABCHealth board director, expressed her delight about the development.

“Our Principal and ABCHealth Co-Founder, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, who is also the Chair of the End Malaria Council in Nigeria, looks forward to seeing a scaling up of the impact of CAMA in Africa now that the organization will be fully led by Africans,” Youssoufou said.

Mories Atoki, CEO of ABCHealth, affirmed the coalition’s commitment to advancing CAMA’s initiatives.

“We recognise the impact of members’ activities, and look forward to working with all of them as well as with new members in the coming year and beyond,” Atoki said.

“We recognise the unwavering support of CAMA’s Leadership Council (Access Bank, Chevron, Aliko Dangote Foundation, and ExxonMobil) during this transition and their continued commitment to the Alliance’s goal of a Malaria-free Africa.”

Lesley-Anne Long, former president and CEO of GBCHealth, said CAMA has been a flagship programme of GBCHealth for over 15 years, expressing delight that its impactful work will continue through ABCHealth.

According to ABCHealth, CAMA focuses on mobilising the private sector to drive impactful partnerships for malaria control and elimination in workplaces and communities.

ABCHealth said CAMA creates opportunities for the private sector to engage with peers and leaders from governments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), academia, and other sectors to scale impact in the fight against malaria.