Benin/Campaign "Zero malaria, Companies commit": Professional, employer and consular organizations join the movement

Through a working lunch, Ecobank and Speak Up Africa in collaboration with the National Malaria Control Program (PNLP) of Benin and with the support of Mindo Consultants, mobilized on Thursday, June 23, 2022 at the Bijou restaurant in Cadjèhoun in Cotonou, professional, business and consular organizations around the challenge of eliminating malaria and its financing.

The private sector must not be left out of the fight against malaria in Benin. This is the main message addressed to the professional, business and consular organizations gathered in the framework of the "Zero Malaria, Businesses are Committed" campaign in Benin.

Present at this call to action, the Director of Programs of Speak Up Africa, Dr. Astou Fall, recalled the commitment of her organization in advocating for the mobilization of domestic resources to address the scourge of malaria in Africa. "As soon as we talk about malaria, it affects human capital," she said, stressing that the private sector is also hard hit because malaria affects the production of businesses. Acknowledging Benin's efforts and progress in the fight against malaria, she pointed out that despite everything, there is a funding gap of nearly 12 billion for the year 2021 to effectively implement the strategy in place. In a context where resources at the international level are becoming increasingly scarce, she indicated that the use of national resources is becoming a panacea.

For the Coordinator of the National Malaria Control Program, Cyriaque Afoukou, the fight against this disease must be "a common concern". Maintaining that it is time to think differently, he stressed the importance of a multisectoral fight where no one will be too many. In front of the organizations, he indicated that if the households pay a heavy price against this disease, the companies are also tested because of the employees who give up their work to be treated each time they are sick. A loss of earnings for these companies which must, according to him, take all their part in this fight against this disease which killed 2440 people in 2020 including 1966 children under 5 years.

In his speech, the Coordinator of Speak Up Africa in Benin, Franz Okey recalled the stakes of the campaign "Zero Malaria, companies are committed" started in 2020 before launching an appeal to professional organizations, employers and consular invited to join the movement. To date, 65 million CFA francs have already been mobilized to support the government and the PNLP in the fight. A steering committee has been set up to manage the resources mobilized. Responding to the plea made by the various speakers, the representatives of the organizations committed themselves to take an active part in the fight. For the representative of the Council of Private Investors of Benin (CIPB) as well as for the representative of the National Order of Physicians, Dr. Eriolla Chabi, the commitment of the organizations is essential and beneficial for businesses. "Businesses have an important role to play in the fight against malaria alongside the government," said the President of the Federation of Young Business Leaders of Benin, Charles Cossy Ferijimi. In return, the companies pleaded for an exemption of certain taxes and duties by the government to accompany their social commitment.

Source: matinlibre.com