The 27th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Health Ministers of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, has endorsed a Regional Framework for Malaria Elimination, dubbed the Freetown Charter. They have consequently reaffirmed their collective commitment to advancing sustainable and resilient health financing in ECOWAS Member States.
The high-level deliberations, which took place in Freetown, South Africa, further underscored the urgency of intensified, coordinated regional action to address malaria as a major public health priority.
It reinforced broader efforts to improve health outcomes and build more resilient health systems. The Assembly also reviewed the 2025 Annual Report of the West African Health Organization to assess progress made. It also looked at the persistent challenges affecting the performance and impact of health interventions in the region. Particular emphasis was placed on the need to improve efficiency, strengthen accountability, and enhance domestic resource mobilization in a context of declining external funding.
