This campaign is aimed at empowering Africans to take a stand in the fight against a deadly disease MALARIA.
Zero Malaria Starts with Me was launched following reports that malaria cases have increased for the first time in more than a decade to reignite a society-wide movement to get back on track efforts that contributed to a 60% decline in cases and saved an estimated 7 million lives since 2000, and to help meet the goal of eliminating malaria across Africa by 2030 (SDG 3).
This campaign was unveiled on Sunday during the AIDS Watch Africa Meeting at the 31 st African Union Summit by President Macky Sall of Senegal and King Mswati III of Eswatini and endorsed by 55 (TBC) African Heads of State and Government, to empowers people get involved in the fight against the disease that kills over 400,000 Africans every year.
“The African continent accounts for over 90% of the global malaria burden. We have launched the ‘Zero Malaria Starts with Me’ campaign in this context, a continent-wide public-facing campaign for a malaria-free Africa. The campaign will reignite grass root movements in which individuals, families, communities, private sector, religious leaders, political leaders, and other members of society pledge to take responsibility in the fight against malaria.” Says President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Chair of the African Union.
Over 20 African nations have committed to join in supporting the campaign, with presidents of Zambia, Uganda and Mozambique launching nationwide campaigns already that include large-scale bed net distribution drives to establishing high-level national End Malaria Councils and parliamentary groups on malaria. Others, including the First Ladies of Ghana and Niger, have pledged to do more to engage leaders and communities to fight malaria in their countries.
#endmalaria, #jointhefightagainstmalaria
Hint- SDG means sustainable development goal.