Following the Kigali Summit on Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) on May 23 and 24 in Rwanda, preparations for the upcoming malaria season aim to rally the world and reenergize the fight against some of the deadliest and most neglected diseases. The high-level summit, which convened hundreds of global leaders, health experts, and other stakeholders in malaria and NTDs from more than 60 countries, promised an all-out effort to drive a bold new strategy to combat the scourges of malaria and NTDs. Against this backdrop, it is worth looking at the lessons from the Kigali Summit and recommending the critical next steps that could help strengthen the fight against malaria and NTDs.
Key Takeaways from the Kigali Summit
1. Renewed Commitment to Eradication Goals
Malaria and the NTDs will be eliminated. That was the commitment reaffirmed at the Kigali Summit. The NTD roadmap set out firm targets and timelines for countries, donors, and organizations. The role of development partners was clarified. Leaders again pledged to ramp up efforts and invest in new ways to combat these diseases.
- Ambitious Targets: the summit set two ambitious targets, one calling for a 40 percent reduction in malaria cases and deaths, and the other calling for scaling up interventions for NTDs to at least 75 percent of those in need – targets that represent a renewed international willingness to make further advances.
- Increased Financing: A major outcome of the Summit is a greater commitment from the public and private sectors for more funding, which is essential for sustaining and expanding malaria and NTD programs.
2. Emphasis on Innovation and Technology
The summit showcased innovation and technology as driving forces in promoting malaria and NTD control.
- New Tools and Treatments: Many sessions highlighted discussions about the creation and deployment of new tools, including rapid diagnostic tests, vaccines, and new treatment combinations. The advent of new tools is a prerequisite to move beyond the issue of drug resistance and other obstacles.
- Digital Health Solutions: Digital health solutions, such as mobile applications and data analytics, play a crucial role in enhancing surveillance, monitoring progress, and improving program implementation.
3. Strengthening Health Systems
An underlying theme of the summit was that health systems must be strengthened to control malaria and NTDs.
- Development of Health Infrastructure: To provide effective diagnosis and treatment services, we must invest in health infrastructure, including buildings, clinics, and laboratories.
- Workforce training: Improving the capacity of health workers through training and education will ensure the implementation of malaria and NTD interventions is successful.
4. Community Engagement and Ownership
In the end, the summit emphasized the necessity of community engagement and ownership for preventing and controlling the disease.
- Local Buy-In: Involving communities in the development and delivery of health interventions ensures that any solutions they are facing address local demands, and that people can trust whether they want to participate or comply proactively with prevention efforts.
- Advocacy and Education: Community-based advocacy and education efforts reduce stigma and promote preventive behaviors.
Next Steps in the Fight Against Malaria and NTDs
1. Implementing Summit Commitments
Following the summit, it is crucial to turn commitments into concrete actions.
- Action Plans: Detailed action plans, presenting how the summit’s targets will be reached, need to be made and implemented. The plans must list the concrete activities, the dates, and the actors.
- Monitoring and accountability: Strong monitoring and accountability mechanisms will ensure that interventions are tracked and kept on course, with resource use being maximized.
2. Scaling Up Proven Interventions
Currently, scaling up usable interventions is central to how far malaria and the NTDs can be brought under control.
- Distribution of Tools: Expand the distribution of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), indoor residual sprays (IRS), and other preventive tools to reduce malaria transmission.
- Enhanced treatment access: Widespread access to effective treatment for both malaria and NTDs will reduce morbidity and complications.
3. Investing in Research and Development
Still, ongoing investment in RD is the only way to continue to advance our preparedness to face the changing onslaught of malaria and NTDs.
- New vaccines and treatment modalities: Encouraging the development of new vaccines, and the exploration and personalization of treatment modalities, will play a major role. This will include the further exploration of issues relating to drug resistance and the development of new diagnostic tools.
- Novel Delivery: investments in novel delivery strategies, including community-based delivery models and digital health tools and platforms, support more intensive and effective approaches to resilience and recovery.
4. Strengthening Health Systems
A strong health system is foundational to effective disease control.
- Infrastructure Upgrades: Improving capacity to treat malaria and NTDs by upgrading health infrastructure, ranging from labs to drug supply chains.
- Workforce Development: Enhance educational training and mentorship programs for workers, so they can lead, motivate, and provide better quality care.
5. Enhancing Community Engagement
Deepening community engagement is essential for the success of malaria and NTD programs.
- Local partnerships: working with local organizations and community leaders can improve the design and delivery of health interventions.
- Behavioral Interventions: applying focused interventions to help consumers to take preventive and early treatment measures enhances health outcomes.
6. Promoting Equity and Inclusion
It will only achieve health equity if interventions are equally available to the most vulnerable players.
- Tackling disparities: Health inequities stem from a lack of access to care and prevention. When everyone has access, no one is left behind.
- Inclusionary Approaches: Considering gender, age, and socioeconomic status in the design of new approaches will increase the efficiency and reach of malaria and NTD programs.
7. Fostering International Collaboration
However international collaboration will remain crucial to deal with the nature of these diseases as global issues.
- Enhance global partnerships: Boost the level of north-south, south-south, and triangular cooperation and enhance policy coherence among countries, international organizations, and civil society organizations.
- Imparting best practices: Countries can share ways in which they’ve tackled control, elimination efforts, or breakthroughs in terms of best practices.
The Kigali Summit on Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases has set an ambitious agenda for a ‘New Madrista’ era to take on these persistent health scourges. To seize this moment, we must take a bold leap forward and translate the summit’s commitments into high-impact, on-the-ground action. Specifically, implementing commitments from the Kigali conference, scaling up what we know works, investing in new tools, strengthening health systems, engaging communities, prioritizing equity, and advancing international partnerships will put us on a dramatically different, more sustainable course to reduce the burden of malaria and other NTDs.
The road is difficult, but with continued engagement and joint efforts, we can achieve the ambitious targets of the Kigali Summit and move step by step toward a world free from malaria and NTDs. We can translate the promises into impact and transform lives and health outcomes around the globe.
