06 Nov 2026

African leaders have been urged to honour promises made to rural communities, as failure to deliver on commitments could weaken public trust and affect efforts to eliminate malaria.

Speaking during a fireside conversation at the High-Level Dialogue on Malaria Elimination in Gaborone, chief executive officer and deputy convener of the Hopes Alive Initiative, Dr Temitope Ongusi said communities were willing to support health programmes when they believed the initiatives would improve their lives.

However, she said trust was often broken when leaders visited communities, made promises and failed to fulfil them.

Dr Ongusi said leaders should go beyond giving instructions and actively participate in malaria prevention activities.

She shared her experience of joining a mosquito net distribution exercise in rural Nigeria, saying her presence encouraged communities to embrace the initiative.

She further called on governments to involve traditional leaders from the planning stages of health programmes rather than inviting them only to official events.

Dr Ongusi said traditional leaders enjoyed the confidence of their communities and could play an important role in encouraging people to adopt malaria prevention measures.

Meanwhile, South Africa singer and humanitarian, Yvonne Chaka Chaka called for young people to be empowered to participate in the fight against malaria.

Ynonne Chaka Chaka, who is also founder and director of the Princess of Africa Foundation, said young people should not only be regarded as future leaders but should be given opportunities to contribute to development today.

She said young people could become the eyes and ears of their communities by helping to identify challenges and supporting health initiatives.

She also challenged African governments to increase funding for health programmes from their own resources instead of depending heavily on international donors.

She said donor funding often came with conditions that did not necessarily reflect the priorities of local communities.

Emphasising the importance of investing in healthcare, she said there was no wealth without health.

She further urged political leaders to move beyond declarations and ensure that commitments made at international meetings translated into improvements in people’s lives. ENDS