The Coalition of Parliamentarians to End Malaria in Africa, COPEMA, was officially launched during a two-day event held April 28-29 in Accra, Ghana.
The launch comes one year after the African Ministerial Yaounde Declaration and signals a renewed push to address mounting challenges, including declining international aid, growing insecticide and drug resistance, and persistent funding gaps threatening malaria control efforts.
The forum brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including parliamentarians, national malaria control programme managers from 15 countries, global health experts, civil society representatives, and development partners.
Key participants included officials from the Ghana Ministry of Health, the Pan-African Parliament, Africa CDC, the Global Fund, the World Health Organization, the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, and advocacy organisations like Impact Santé Afrique and Hope for Future Generations.
During the discussions, attendees highlighted the urgent need for political leadership to mobilize domestic resources, implement innovative prevention strategies, and ensure that interventions are data-driven and equitable.
“The launch of COPEMA is not merely symbolic; it signifies the beginning of a tangible political movement,” stated Ugandan lawmaker Santa Okot, a co-chair of COPEMA. Cameroonian legislator Njume Peter, also a co-chair, stressed their commitment to holding governments accountable and prioritizing malaria funding in national budgets.
At the end of the event, lawmakers adopted the Accra Parliamentarian Declaration, which calls for increased domestic funding, enhanced accountability measures, and closer collaboration with malaria control programs and civil society. The declaration urges governments to incorporate malaria funding into their national budgets.
With more than 600,000 malaria-related deaths each year—95 percent of which occur in Africa—the declaration stresses the importance of localised strategies to effectively reach high-risk communities.
This launch coincides with the 78th World Health Assembly taking place in Geneva, where global leaders are gathering, signaling a shift toward increased political engagement in the fight against malaria.
Looking ahead, COPEMA plans to establish country chapters to maintain advocacy momentum, with a follow-up meeting scheduled for June 2025 to assess progress and enhance cross-country coordination.
The Coalition of Parliamentarians to End Malaria in Africa, COPEMA, was established following the Africa Malaria Ministerial meeting in March 2024 in Cameroon. COPEMA envisions an Africa free from malaria, with parliamentarians serving as agents of change, leveraging their legislative power, oversight role, and budgetary influence to eliminate malaria through strong domestic leadership and accountability.
By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo