05 Nov 2026

President Advocate Duma Boko has raised concern over Botswana’s malaria resurgence, with cases rising from 290 in 2024 to 2,451 in 2025. He has called for sustained political commitment and increased domestic investment to eliminate the disease.

In his capacity as Chairperson of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA), President Boko was speaking at a high-level dialogue on malaria elimination in Gaborone yesterday, where he said Botswana’s malaria resurgence demonstrated how easily progress could be reversed without sustained prevention, surveillance and response measures.

 “Malaria elimination is both a health sector aspiration and an imperative for development, prosperity and human dignity,” he said, noting that the disease continued to affect communities, particularly children, while disrupting education, productivity and household livelihoods.

President Boko said Botswana›s National Malaria Strategic Plan 2025–2029 provided a framework for elimination through surveillance, vector control, timely diagnosis and treatment, community participation and regional cooperation.

He emphasised that malaria elimination required collaboration between neighbouring countries because the disease respected no borders.

President Boko also raised concern over declining malaria funding, urging African countries to strengthen domestic financing rather than depend heavily on external assistance.

“Partner funding does not remove and replace our own local domestic resources and capabilities,” he said, stressing that external support should complement national investment.

He said the approach aligned with the Accra Declaration and Africa’s pursuit of health sovereignty through domestic resource mobilisation, innovative financing, regional manufacturing and regulatory cooperation.

President Boko said the Big Push for malaria elimination presented an opportunity to unite governments, the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, financing institutions and communities behind nationally determined priorities.

He challenged delegates to focus on delivering measurable outcomes rather than declarations and reaffirmed Botswana›s commitment to working with neighbouring countries and development partners towards a malaria-free continent.

Meanwhile, Ntlo ya Dikgosi Chairperson, Kgosi Malope II, urged traditional and community leaders to intensify grassroots mobilisation and ensure that malaria prevention messages reached households.

Kgosi Malope said Botswana›s rising malaria cases and deaths demonstrated the dangers of complacency, stressing the importance of sustained community vigilance and participation in prevention efforts.

The high-level dialogue on malaria elimination brought together partners to strengthen collaboration and accelerate efforts towards eliminating the disease across Africa. ENDS