2024 was a milestone year for tackling malaria in the Central African Republic. Here’s why.
The Central African Republic (CAR) faces one of the highest malaria incidence rates in the world. According to some estimates, malaria is responsible for 40% of reported illnesses and 10% of all registered deaths – with children being the worst hit. This makes malaria a leading cause of hospital visits and mortality in the country.
Preventative measures such as long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLIN) currently protect about 50% of the population. However, the Severe Malaria Observatory has reported that treatment is only accessible to around 50-75% of those in need, highlighting the critical importance of prevention as well as treatment.
Despite these challenges, 2024 proved to be a year of triumph for the Ministry’s National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP). The programme not only garnered nationwide attention for its impactful World Malaria Day campaign but also introduced the R21 malaria vaccine to the country, marking a significant step forward in the fight against malaria.
AMP Health has supported these efforts by embedding a Management Partner, Marcel Lama, into CAR’s NMCP. Marcel has provided leadership and management strengthening support to the team, while AMP Health’s Learning experts have designed a customised, experiential learning journey to address the NMCP’s specific needs.
Raising public awareness about malaria prevention and treatment
World Malaria Day events are globally recognised for their importance in engaging communities and stakeholders on malaria and raising awareness of malaria prevention, management, support, and treatment. However, until recently, CAR’s NMP team faced significant challenges in organising such events, including inadequate resources, and a lack of partner mobilisation.
To address these barriers, Marcel supported the team to tackle organisational gaps, navigate resourcing constraints, and proactively mobilise stakeholders to ensure the event’s success. The NMCP team’s efforts culminated in two successful World Malaria Day campaigns over the last two years. These campaigns received significant national media coverage, including a broadcasted address by President Faustin-Archange Touadéra in 2024.
This success not only elevated the NMCP’s visibility within the Ministry but also strengthened its relationships with key partners, such as Unicef and Macepa. Inspired by the campaign’s achievements, both organisations have since extended additional support to the NMCP, enhancing its capacity to drive further progress in the fight against malaria.
Bringing the new malaria vaccine to the Central African Republic
The NMCP collaborated closely with the Ministry’s Expanded Programme on Immunisation to develop a concept note and funding proposal aimed at securing resources to bring the new R21 malaria vaccine to CAR. The NMP played a critical role by providing comprehensive data on malaria infection rates, morbidity, and mortality at national and regional levels to strengthen the funding request.
Marcel, AMP Health’s Management Partner, served as an advisor throughout the process, guiding the teams in developing a compelling proposal and providing strategic insights on how to engage partners.
The funding proposal received approval, securing significant financial backing from Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This support enabled the delivery of sufficient malaria vaccines doses in 2024 to vaccinate nearly 200,000 children in the nation’s capital, Bangui.
We are excited to see how the NMCP team will build on its momentum and achievements as it continues to combat malaria in CAR in 2025 and beyond. With the foundation laid through successful campaigns, strategic partnerships, improved resource mobilisation, and the introduction of the R21 malaria vaccine, we believe the NMCP is poised to make even greater strides in reducing the burden of malaria in CAR.