Joy Phumaphi, African Leaders Malaria Alliance: Malaria is an all of society challenge
The Interview
BBC
4.3 • 537 Ratings
🗓️ 25 March 2026
⏱️ 23 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
“Malaria is an all of society challenge. When you look at the environmental issues, addressing the breeding sites for mosquitoes, it’s an all of society issue…it is not just the responsibility of the heads of state.”
Daniel Dadzie hears from Joy Phumaphi, Executive Secretary of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance, or ALMA.
ALMA was founded with the goal of eradicating malaria in Africa by 2030. Now, Joy Phumaphi concedes this is not going to happen.
In fact, she says only a few countries across the continent will hit this target, thanks to a “perfect storm” of climate change, insecticide and drug resistance, spiralling costs and cuts in aid. She also highlights the risk that private sector development projects can create breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
Thank you to Daniel Dadzie, Albert Kirui and Brian Khisa their help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with South Africa’s Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi and Sarah Mullally, the Archbishop of Canterbury. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.
Presenter: Daniel Dadzie Producer: Albert Kirui, Brian Khisa and Lucy Sheppard Editors: Damon Rose and Justine Lang
Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.
(Image: Joy Phumaphi Credit: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts. |
| 0:05.9 | Hello, I'm Danielle Dazey, BBC presenter, and this is the interview from the BBC World Service, |
| 0:12.7 | the best conversations coming out of the BBC, people shaping our world from all over the world. |
| 0:19.8 | If you're not a little bit afraid, then you're not paying attention. |
| 0:24.5 | You have never seen a people so united. |
| 0:28.1 | Do not make that boat crossing. Do not make that journey. |
| 0:30.7 | Being born in America, feeling American, having people treat me like I'm not. |
| 0:34.9 | We're more popular than populism. |
| 0:38.1 | For this interview, I met Joy Pumapi, Executive Secretary of the African Leaders |
| 0:43.4 | Malaria Alliance, or Alma, in Addis Ababa's Plush Radisson Blue Hotel. |
| 0:48.8 | Africa was home to 96% of global cases of malaria in 2024 and 97% of deaths. |
| 0:56.6 | Alma brings together the leaders of 55 African countries currently led by President Boko of Botswana |
| 1:02.7 | and was founded with the clear goal of eradicating malaria across Africa by 2030. |
| 1:08.9 | But Joy Pumapi tells me only a few member states will hit this target. |
| 1:14.0 | She describes a perfect storm of factors, including drug resistance and climate change, |
| 1:18.8 | as well as the risk that private sector development projects like road construction and mining sites, |
| 1:23.8 | for instance, can become breeding grounds for mosquitoes, all of which add to spiraling |
| 1:28.9 | costs of malaria prevention. If I can just show you what type of gap we are trying to target here, |
| 1:35.5 | in terms of coverage with effective prevention interventions, there are very few countries |
| 1:42.4 | that are reaching more than 60% of the population that needs to be covered. |
| 1:46.8 | So when we talk about we are spending a $3 billion, $4 billion here, |
| 1:52.5 | the gap is actually in the region of $6 billion. |
... |
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