Dr Daniel Ngamije
Rwanda’s former minister of health, Dr. Daniel Ngamije has been appointed the head of the malaria control and elimination program at the global level.
Ngamije’s appointment at the World Health Organisation (WHO) as the Director, Global Malaria Programme was confirmed by the ministry of health communications department this evening, and it takes effect on April 8, 2023.
The appointment was announced in a letter signed on March 21, 2023 by Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO Director General who also made other three key appointments at the organization.
“Director, Global Malaria Programme, Dr. Daniel Ngamije Madandi, as of 8 April 2023. Dr Ngamije Madandi is from Rwanda and was formerly the Minister of Health of Rwanda,” the WHO DG’s appointment read.
Ngamije said that the appointment to the program of eliminating malaria is a responsibility that has to be implemented in collaboration with various partners such as Global Fund, the US Presidential Malaria Initiative, the European community, as he will be coordinating activities and raising funds.
As Minister of Health until November 2022, Ngamije played a key role mobilizing funds and putting up community and tech-driven programs to reduce malaria cases in Rwanda compared to its neighbouring countries.
For instance, in ending malaria Rwanda gave a high priority to efforts mainly funded by Global Fund (GF).
Through efficiency and data use, the Government extended external and Indoor residual spraying (IRS) in 12 high malaria burden districts where more than 70% of malaria cases come from.
Rwanda also scaled up Home-Based Management of Malaria to all ages and in all districts for early diagnosis and treatment by Community Health Workers (at 56% of all malaria are managed by these volunteers as of 2022).
The WHO has set a Global technical strategy for malaria 2016-2030 – adopted by Member States in May 2015 – designed to guide and support all malaria-affected countries as they work to reduce the human suffering caused by the world’s deadliest mosquito-borne disease.
The strategy sets four global targets for 2030, as well as interim milestones to track progress. The 2030 targets are: to reduce malaria case incidence by at least 90%; reduce malaria mortality rates by at least 90%; eliminate malaria in at least 35 countries; prevent a resurgence of malaria in all countries that are malaria-free.
