PROTECTING AFRICA’S WORKFORCE AGAINST MALARIA
One business has joined the malaria fight to protect families, livelihoods and the econcomic growth of a whole region.
“Whether you’re a CEO or a schoolchild, malaria doesn’t care. We all feel the impact – in our families, our companies, our communities,” says Ecobank CEO, Elisa Desbordes.
​
Since it began the Ecobank Foundation has supported prevention efforts across Africa, from donating mosquito nets and repellents to backing large-scale awareness campaigns. It believes eliminating malaria is essential to protecting people, jobs, productivity, and Africa’s future growth.
​
“Malaria is a deeply unjust disease. It steals the chance to live normal, productive lives: to go to school, to go to work, to build a future.”
​
The private sector has a critical role to play. From funding communications campaigns that help families use nets correctly, to purchasing rapid diagnostic tests, companies can fill key gaps alongside national programmes. But Desbordes is clear: “The private sector’s role is complementary, not a replacement for large-scale, long-term investment. The Global Fund remains central to the fight. Without it, the entire response risks collapsing.”
​
Ecobank’s experience highlights how public health and economic development are interlinked. “One illness can take a worker out for days,” says Desbordes. “That’s lost output, lost income for families, and lost profit for companies. When malaria resurges, businesses falter, households struggle, and national economies weaken.”
​
The stakes could not be higher. In a worst case scenario, where malaria prevention collapses, Sub-Saharan Africa could lose $83 billion in GDP. The difference is prosperity versus definite economic harm.
​
A lack of funding to end malaria could mean that decades of progress against this deadly disease could be lost. “It’s like a football match,” Desbordes explains. “We’ve played the whole game, passed every challenge and now, just before scoring the winning goal, we risk dropping the ball.”
​
Her message is clear, malaria investment is investment in people, growth, and resilience. “We cannot afford to drop the ball now,” she adds.