Nigeria, Kigali and other African countries are to benefit from the $18 billion support to end malaria.
They made this known at a summit held on the sidelines of the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
At the event, David Beckham, Pierre Aubameyang, Yemi Alade, Eliud Kipchoge, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie demanded urgent action to end te disease.
Experts sought more commitment to reduce by half malaria across the Commonwealth by next year, by galvanising the funds ahead of the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment in New York.
According to a statement, Chimamanda called for the wiping out of the disease that kills a child every minute.
A campaign entitled: ‘’Draw the Line’’ created by Dentsu Interational acted as a catalyst for change. The firm stated that they are renewing their commitment to malaria elimination by unlocking the $5 million worth of pro bono media support.
The event held on the sidelines of the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “The WHO welcomes a new host of scientists, youths, and champions to join the malaria fight at a crucial time when progress against the disease is lagging. Draw The Line provides a platform for Africa’s most powerful narrators to change this trajectory, disrupt political apathy, and lead the fight to end this treatable and preventable disease which kills a child nearly every minute.”
With about three-quarters of Africans under 35, youths are vital agents of change. The campaign, first launched in early last year, was the first targeted at youths.
Chimamanda, who was the chief storyteller at the summit, said: “Malaria has been a frequent and terrible scourge in my life and in the lives of so many people. It doesn’t have to be. Malaria is preventable and has no place in our world today, shackling the health and futures of the next generation. I ask leaders at the Kigali Summit to please be bold and make zero malaria and neglected tropical diseases their legacy.”