At regional confab of journalists: Congolese health minister urges African synergy to eliminate malaria.

The capacity building workshop is grouping media professionals from some Francophone African countries notably; Cameroon, Gabon, Republic of Congo, Cote D’Ivoire and Democratic Republic of Congo. 

The regional confab is being organised by the non-governmental organisation, Impact Santé Afrique, ISA. This is in collaboration with the Platform of NGOs and Associations Fighting Malaria in Congo, POALP, and other partners. 

Congolese lawmakers, civil society, government authorities, technical and financial partners also attended the opening of the confab.

Prof Ibara called for a united front among journalists, policymakers, scientists, researchers and civil society organisations to wage a solid front towards malaria elimination. 

The Congolese health minister said despite decades of progress, malaria remains one of the heaviest health challenges facing Africa. 

Prof Ibara pointed out that the disease still affects millions of people every year and strikes disproportionately at children under five years of age and pregnant women. 

“It is a disease we know how to prevent and treat, and yet it continues to claim lives that could have been saved,” the minister stated.

Beyond being a merely infectious disease, he highlighted that malaria poses as a development, productivity and a social equity problem, as well as questioning the health justice of a country.

Taking the case of his country, Prof Ibara affirmed that malaria remains a major public health priority for the Republic of Congo with the World Health Organisation, WHO, country profile based 2023 data estimating the infection level at approximately 1.3 million cases annually and about 2,200 deaths. 

He added that 100% of the population in Congo-Brazzaville are living in a transmission zone exceeding one case per 1,000 inhabitants.

Prof Ibara noted that the fight against malaria cannot be won solely in health facilities, laboratories, and health programmes. He emphasised that the fight is also won in the public sphere, in families, in communities, and in the media. 

“Quality information can save lives”

He urged the participants to make malaria a permanent public health subject by giving voices to communities, explaining data, questioning policies, highlighting results, and contributing to transforming lasting behaviours, rather than limiting news to commemorative events.

“Our collective ambition must remain clear: to significantly reduce morbidity and mortality, progressively interrupt transmission where this becomes possible, and place our countries on a credible trajectory towards elimination,” he added.

The minister stressed that every well-informed community brings the continent closer to an Africa free of malaria.

He entreated the African media professionals to help bring science closer to populations and populations closer to health services.

ISA Executive Director

The Executive Director of ISA, Olivia Ngou, said malaria is affecting millions of people every year, with children under five years and pregnant women being the most hit. 

Despite the constant reality, she regretted that media coverage of malaria often concentrates around a few specific moments like World Malaria Day, and health outbreaks or launch of health campaigns. She reminded journalists that their responsibilities in the face of the disease that never ceases to steal lives.

Ngou urged them to ask questions that matter like funding decisions, programme implementation, accountability of actors, innovations, drug resistances, and especially telling stories of communities living with this disease every day.

“Journalists must be able to understand not only how much money is announced, but also where it comes from, where it goes, and whether the commitments made are truly being kept,” she said.

The ISA boss added that “audiences consume information differently, disinformation spreads rapidly, and journalists need new formats, new sources, and new collaborations”.

Drawing inspiration from initiatives to create groups of journalists committed to fighting malaria from Cameroon and DR Congo, she said the initiative has proven the reality of the interest of media professionals in helping to combat malaria.

“What was missing was a mechanism capable of connecting these efforts, creating a common identity, and supporting journalists throughout the year,” she added.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation's World Malaria Report 2025 reported that 282 million cases and 610,000 deaths were estimated globally in 2024. 

The WHO African Region alone accounted for approximately 94% of global cases and 95% of malaria-related deaths.

Nearly three quarters of the deaths recorded in the Region concerned children under five years of age, officials noted.

By Macwalter Njapteh Refor in Brazzaville

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3905 of Thursday September 10, 2026