Public-private partnership: the entryway for malaria elimination in Equatorial Guinea

Guillermo A. García

Deputy Director for International Programmes, MCD

Philip Liverpool

General Manager,
Marathon EG Production Limited

Dr. Christopher Schwabe

CEO and President,
MCD

Bernardo R. Cuaresma

Vice President,
Noble Energy EG Ltd.

With intensive year-round transmission, malaria has been a leading health problem for the people of Equatorial Guinea. Sustained partnership efforts offer hope for a future without malaria.

Equatorial Guinea is made up of its mainland and insular regions, including Bioko Island. MCD Global Health (MCD) and its partners celebrate year 20 of implementing the Bioko Island Malaria Elimination Project (BIMEP). This award-winning public-private partnership is committed to eliminating malaria on Bioko Island as the first step towards national elimination. 

Reducing the malaria burden on Bioko Island 

Since 2004, the BIMEP has contributed to improvements in the health and wellbeing of the island’s residents. It has: 

• Reduced the percentage of children (between ages 2 to 14) with malaria by 66% from 2004 to 2022.
• Reduced the prevalence of severe anaemia in children under 5 by 93% (from 15% in 2004 to 1.1% in 2022).   
• Reduced the mortality rate of children under 5 by 63% from 2004 to 2018.  
• Eliminated two of the four main species of mosquitoes that carry malaria on Bioko Island: Anopheles funestus and Anopheles gambiae s.s. 
• Reduced the rate of transmission of the parasite by the vectors by 97%. Advanced the knowledge base related to best practices and challenges for malaria control and elimination through 71 peer-reviewed scientific journal publications

These accomplishments and more are attributed to a data-driven, adaptive and comprehensive approach to malaria control and elimination consisting of integrated vector control. This includes using a combination of indoor insecticidal spraying of walls in homes, distributing and hanging insecticide-treated nets, and larviciding, as well as the timely and effective diagnosis and treatment of malaria cases. 

“Our robust, real-time data collection and analysis has been the basis for adaptive decision-making that has enabled the project to modify interventions to changing conditions while maximising our impact,” says Guillermo García, deputy director for international programmes. 

We are proud to have been part of a project that has made significant improvement toward the eradication of malaria in Equatorial Guinea.

Beginning to eliminate malaria on Bioko Island 

The project began in 2004 as the Bioko Island Malaria Control Project when “the Government of Equatorial Guinea, Marathon Oil and its partners and MCD came together with the common goal of eliminating malaria from Bioko Island,” says Philip Liverpool, general manager, Marathon EG Production Limited.  

“Over the last two decades, this unique public-private partnership, which is one of the longest-lasting malaria control projects in recent history, has changed thousands of lives across Equatorial Guinea through its dramatic strides in malaria control and elimination,” he adds.  

Contributions to national health  

“The strong and enduring partnership has also helped strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Health in not only leading malaria control but its health system more broadly,” remarks Dr Christopher Schwabe, CEO and president of MCD.  

In addition to substantial investments in workforce development for the National Malaria Control Programme, the BIMEP has contributed to health systems strengthening by supporting the national health information system, helping develop district health plans and systems and establishing a National Institute of Public Health. 

With its partners Swiss TPH and Sanaria Inc., the BIMEP also established the Baney Reference Laboratory and the country’s first infrastructure to carry out clinical trials, with three malaria vaccine trials completed to date.  

“The award-winning BIMEP is one of many examples of how Chevron is contributing to improving healthcare delivery in communities where we operate,” says Bernardo R. Cuaresma, vice president of Noble Energy EG Ltd. “We are proud to have been part of a project that has made significant improvement toward the eradication of malaria in Equatorial Guinea.” 

Despite challenges, the continued commitment of and investments from the Government of Equatorial Guinea and the private sector have sustained progress toward the country’s goal of ultimately eliminating malaria.