Namibia was once hailed as a malaria success story, with cases steadily declining and hopes of elimination on the horizon.
The Khorixas Health District in the Kunene region, for example, received the Simon Kunene Award for achieving near-zero malaria transmission between 2020 and 2024.
However, there has been a troubling resurgence of infections, particularly in the northern regions of Kavango and Zambezi.
This threatens to undo years of hard-won progress.
As global momentum toward malaria eradication builds, Namibia risks being left behind unless we act decisively.
It is not a challenge without solutions. Worldwide, countries have demonstrated that with consistent investment in frontline health systems, community engagement and data-driven innovation, it is possible to reverse setbacks.
YOUTH-LED AND TECH-ENABLED
Cuba, though malaria-free for decades, offers valuable lessons through its response to recurring dengue outbreaks.
The country has one of the most rigorous vector control and surveillance systems globally.
Its approach is rooted in local vigilance, neighbourhood-based surveillance, rapid response teams and public trust in health messaging.
These are not high-tech interventions but practical, people-powered strategies that could be adapted within Namibia’s primary healthcare framework.
In Nigeria, organisations like the Hacey Health Initiative demonstrate the transformative potential of youth-led and tech-enabled malaria responses.
By training young leaders to conduct awareness campaigns and use mobile tools for real-time reporting and community education, they bridge the gap between health systems and rural populations.
Namibia, with its young and dynamic population, can take inspiration from such models.
Young people, especially in high-transmission regions, can be trained to lead local prevention campaigns, collect household data and co-create tools that fit their communities ranging from SMS information alerts to local radio storytelling.
INTERVENTIONS
Sierra Leone illustrates how even high-burden countries can make significant strides with the right policy direction.
As of 2024, the country recorded a case incidence of 213 per 1 000 population, down from 239 the previous year, a 10.9% reduction.
Despite this progress, malaria mortality remains one of the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Sierra Leone prioritises transforming malaria surveillance into a core intervention.
Despite being a post-conflict and post-ebola country, it has achieved notable milestones, including becoming the first African nation to implement Intermittent Preventive Treatment in infants (IPTi).
In 2024, it introduced the malaria vaccine for children under five, a critical move in protecting this vulnerable group.
Digitally, Sierra Leone has developed a national malaria data repository which streamlines data collection, analysis and dissemination, enhancing decision-making and resource allocation.
However, progress has also highlighted critical gaps.
A persistently high mortality rate, particularly among children, suggests systemic weaknesses in diagnosis, treatment and follow-ups.
Officials point to the need for indepth research into the causes of malaria-related deaths, especially among under-fives who may face co-morbidities.
Health workers, often the first point of contact for communities, must be better supported through adequate incentives and formal recognition.
Their role in education, early detection and behavioural change is central to any successful strategy.
PASSION AND LEADERSHIP
The Sierra Leone experience underscores the importance of a multisectoral response.
Health alone cannot eliminate malaria. Issues such as inadequate water and sanitation infrastructure, poor housing conditions and limited access to education contribute to the disease’s persistence.
Holistic approaches involving housing, education, agriculture and youth empowerment are essential.
Financially, much of Sierra Leone’s malaria response is donor-funded, though national commitments such as a free healthcare initiative for children and pregnant women, and a planned social health insurance scheme, signal a move toward sustainability.
Youth leadership is a critical but often an underutilised force.
Alexis Kabambi, a Bingwa Plus youth ambassador and country coordinator of Youth Corps Against Malaria in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is a powerful example of what youth can achieve when supported.
Since 2021, Kabambi has led malaria prevention efforts in some of the DRC’s most underserved areas, where over 27 million malaria cases and 25 000 related deaths were recorded in 2024 alone.
His initiative, targeting 800 flood-prone households in four high-risk municipalities, blends locally available resources such as citronella and eucalyptus with community-driven environmental measures like drainage, sanitation and covering septic tanks.
To date, his team of over 5 000 volunteers has reached more than 10 million people across 21 provinces.
His story is not just one of passion but proof that young people, if empowered, can mobilise scale, sustainability and impact in the fight against malaria.
NAMIBIA’S GOALS
Namibia has set a bold goal with its National Malaria Elimination Strategic Plan 2023–2027, aiming to eliminate malaria entirely by 2027.
An investment of N$1.8 billion reflects serious national intent. Yet, intent must be matched with implementation.
As of April, reports from Kavango East indicated a shortage of bed nets, a basic but essential intervention. In Zambezi, there are similar shortages.
The gap between policy and practice raises critical questions: How are we tracking real-time commodity distribution?
Are frontline workers equipped and supported?
Are community voices informing mid-course corrections? Without answering these, our 2027 target may remain aspirational.
The foundation for elimination exists but it must be reinforced.
It means revitalising community-based surveillance, investing in frontline workers and giving young people the tools and training they need to take ownership of prevention efforts. It means leveraging existing technologies in affordable and accessible ways.
And it means ensuring that the strategies we adopt are not just imported, but rooted in our realities.
Malaria elimination in Namibia remains within reach but only if we act urgently and strategically.
The global path forward is clear: Resilient health systems, informed communities, youth leadership and sustained political commitment.
Reclaiming ground is possible but only if we move now, together.
As other African countries begin rolling out the malaria vaccine, we must also ask: Is Namibia considering the vaccine as part of its strategy?
If not, why not, and what will it take to make this life-saving intervention available to the most vulnerable in our own regions?
– Tuwilika Nafuka is a medical doctor, Africa CDC Bingwa Plus and DHSA fellow and a champion for digital health transformation.
– Teopolina Namandje is an Overseas Development Institute global fellow and a development finance practitioner at Sierra Leone’s health ministry.
