Accra: The four-part documentary produced by Boni Lab at Temple University, in collaboration with Normal Life Pictures Ltd, seeks to engage decision-makers and communities in safeguarding malaria treatments for future generations. Through the voices of scientists, public health experts, and affected communities, the film explored what Artemisinin resistance is, why it matters, and what could be done to stop its spread.
According to Ghana News Agency, malaria remains one of the most serious public health challenges in sub-Saharan Africa, affecting millions of families every year. In 2023 alone, the WHO reported an estimated 263 million malaria cases and 597,000 deaths worldwide, with Africa accounting for 95 percent of the fatalities. Beyond its toll on human lives, malaria continues to place immense pressure on health systems, slow economic development, and threaten the well-being of communities across the continent.
Over the last twenty years, artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) have transformed malaria control efforts and saved millions of lives. Yet, this progress is under threat. The emergence of partial artemisinin resistance poses a growing danger that could undo decades of hard-won achievements in malaria prevention and treatment if not urgently addressed.
Dr. Felicia Owusu-Antwi, WHO Ghana Officer for Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases, advised African countries to adopt the multi-first line therapy medicines in the treatment of malaria to stop the emergence and spread of drug resistance in the future. The WHO Officer gave the advice at a Regional dialogue on Malaria Drug Resistance in Africa on the sidelines of the International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA 2025).
She highlighted the strategy of making several different, effective ACTs available at the national level, rather than relying solely on a single option for the treatment of malaria on the continent. Dr. Owusu-Antwi emphasized the need for African countries to carry out efficacy studies to gather data on the trends of how their medicines were faring, noting that the medicines countries relied on were gradually becoming ineffective as the malaria parasites learned to overcome them.
"If we lose these ACTs, we lose our strongest line of defense. We will see more severe cases, more deaths, overcrowded health facilities, and higher out-of-pocket payments for households," she warned. Despite the existence of tools and guidelines for detecting resistance, she noted that many African countries were unable to conduct surveillance due to a lack of funding.
Dr. Mark Nawaane, Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health, and a member of the Coalition of Parliamentarians in the Elimination of Malaria in Africa (COPEMA), called on African governments to allocate resources to fight against malaria. He mentioned that Ghana was actively combating the disease through larvae source management, use of treated bednets, and indoor spraying.
He also revealed plans for a government primary healthcare programme that would offer free malaria treatment. "When that happens, anybody suffering from malaria will not be sitting in the house, they will come to the health facilities. And as you know, when you start the treatment early, your resources will be better and then there will not be any treatment failure," Dr. Nawaane added.
Mrs. Cecilia Senoo, Executive Director of Hope for Future Generations (HFFG), called for stronger collaboration with civil society, arguing that malaria control efforts remained overly centralized. She emphasized the need for innovative strategies for prevention and sustained education, urging the government to invest in malaria research and scale up the vaccination programme without solely relying on donor funding. Mrs. Senoo also advocated for stronger collaboration with the private sector, particularly the mining sector, to contribute to the fight against malaria.
Dr. Hilarius Abiwu, Programme Manager of the National Malaria Elimination Programme, assured that current malaria medicines in Ghana remained fully effective, with cure rates close to 100 percent. He stressed the importance of early-warning systems and forward planning, revealing that Ghana was exploring triple-drug combinations to stay ahead of resistance.
The regional dialogue was held in collaboration with the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), Target Malaria, and Hope For Future Generations (HFFG).