Monday September 16, 2024 – LAGOS: The African Business Coalition for Health (ABCHealth) is delighted to announce its appointment as the new Secretariat for the Corporate Alliance on Malaria in Africa (CAMA). This development marks a pivotal moment in our journey towards enhancing health systems across the continent, as we take on stewardship of CAMA from the Global Business Coalition for Health (GBCHealth) in New York.
CAMA focuses on mobilizing the private sector to drive impactful partnerships for malaria control and elimination in workplaces and communities. It creates opportunities for the private sector to engage with peers and with leaders from governments, NGOs, academia, and other sectors to scale impact in the fight against malaria. As the new Secretariat for CAMA, ABCHealth will build on the successes achieved over the past 17 years, providing value to its members in relevance and scaled impact in the fight against malaria.
This appointment is a key milestone in GBCHealth’s plan to transition its work to being fully African led. Placing the leadership and management of CAMA within ABCHealth is a testament to its Theory of Change in Cultivating Partnerships and Mobilizing Private Sector resources to improve healthcare in Africa and change the way it works. ABCHealth works closely with Africa’s private sector leaders as well as global organizations to help improve the health and well-being of all Africans. This new charge to lead CAMA and its esteemed member organizations, as well as the wider Malaria ecosystem to collaboratively control and eventually eliminate malaria across the continent is a responsibility ABCHealth is proud to take on.
Global business leader, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Founder & Chairman of the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation & Chairman of ABCHealth amongst other philanthropic roles, stated: “The current challenges facing Africa’s healthcare and its disproportionate disease burden reinforces the strong business case for private sector engagement in health. The transition of CAMA to ABCHealth is a further opportunity for partners in both public and private sectors to collaborate towards improved health outcomes across Africa.”
Zouera Youssoufou, CEO of Aliko Dangote Foundation and ABCHealth Board Director expressed her delight about the move; “Our Principal and ABCHealth Co-Founder, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, who is also the Chair of the End Malaria Council in Nigeria, looks forward to seeing a scaling up of the impact of CAMA in Africa now that the organization will be fully led by Africans.”
Mories Atoki (Dr.), CEO of ABCHealth said, “Our Coalition is fully committed to moving CAMA further. We recognize the impact of members’ activities, and look forward to working with all of them as well as with new members in the coming year and beyond. We recognize the unwavering support of CAMA’s Leadership Council (Access Bank, Chevron, Aliko Dangote Foundation, and ExxonMobil) during this transition and their continued commitment to the Alliance’s goal of a Malaria-free Africa.”
Lesley-Anne Long, erstwhile President & Chief Executive Officer of GBCHealth, said; “CAMA has been one of GBCHealth’s flagship programs for more than 15 years and we are delighted that its impactful work will continue through ABCHealth”.
About ABCHealth
ABCHealth is a coalition of businesses, philanthropists and development institutions that collectively seek greater private sector contribution towards Africa’s health needs at national, regional and continental levels. The Coalition will facilitate the development and deployment of impactful health programs across Africa, deepen knowledge, building evidence for future investments and strengthen coordination among African business leaders, companies, philanthropists and global business networks for concerted action on health.
Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede is Chairman, ABCHealth; Chairman Access Holdings Plc and Coronation Group Limited. Aliko Dangote is Chairman and President of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL); and Chairman of the Aliko Dangote Foundation through which he Co-Founded ABCHealth.
Mories Atoki (Dr.) is the Chief Executive Officer of ABCHealth.
About CAMA
Launched by Marathon Oil over a decade ago, CAMA was created to coalesce the private sector to lead & support innovative malaria prevention, control and treatment activities across Africa. Its member companies collectively deploy resources and competencies to malaria programs, serving the needs of malaria-affected communities and workforce. Since 2006, GBCHealth had provided management, coordination & advisory services to CAMA members, catalyzing collective action, creating partnerships with the public sector, and delivering thought leadership across the board to companies, governments & development partners.
About GBCHealth
GBCHealth has served as a hub for business engagement on the world’s most pressing health challenges for over 25 years, inspiring businesses to leverage their power and resources to drive progress in the areas of greatest need. Beginning with a focus on HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria, GBCHealth went on to work with partners in West Africa on sexual and reproductive health rights and maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health. More recently, GBCHealth worked with entrepreneurs and investors to drive health innovation, as well as help convene multistakeholder partnership to raise awareness of and address antimicrobial resistance.
The time has now come for our work to move out of the USA and to become truly African owned and led, and we are happy to transition this aspect of our work to ABCHealth. It has been our privilege to work with some of the brightest and boldest organizations around the world and we look forward to seeing the GBCHealth legacy live on through those as well as new organizations who are dedicated to improving health outcomes for all.
