The RBM Partnership to End Malaria is delighted to announce the appointment of two new Partner Committee Co-chairs as per the recent RBM Board decisions.

Ms Olivia Ngou has been appointed to the Advocacy & Resource Mobilization Partner Committee (ARMPC) Co-chair, with Ms Dimple Natali appointed as Co-chair of the Strategic Communications Partner Committee (SCPC). Both bring extensive experience in healthcare research, communications, advocacy to the RBM Partnership and will work with the current Co-chairs, the other RBM Partners Committees and the RBM Secretariat to support delivering the RBM Partnership’s ambition to end malaria once and for all.

As Founder and Executive Director of Impact Santé Afrique (ISA), Ms Olivia Ngou will apply her specialist expertise and knowledge of the African and global policy landscape to advance the advocacy and resource mobilization objectives of the RBM Partnership. Olivia has been an active member of the ARMPC and RBM Partnership for many years, most notably mobilizing civil society to fight malaria through creating the Civil Society 4 Malaria Elimination (CS4ME) network. Her previous experience at organizations such as Malaria No More and the United Nations Special Envoy for Malaria also equips her with a strong background in all aspects of public health, particularly malaria control and maternal and child health. She strives to help create a world where no one dies “by a mosquito bite” and ensures that communities are equally included in malaria control and overall health programmes. She will join Mr Gareth Jenkins to Co-chair the ARMPC.

Ms Dimple Natali will fulfil her SCPC Co-chair responsibilities alongside her current role as Director of Global Communications at the Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance (APLMA). Dimple brings over 20 years of experience in healthcare communications to the role, as well as her extensive knowledge of the Asia Pacific landscape. In her current position, Dimple routinely develops strategic communications programmes and supports advocacy and strengthening initiatives for health systems globally and in the Asia Pacific. With a passion for science and global health stemming from an academic background in Biomedical Science, Ms Natali has a strong understanding of a broad spectrum of disease areas, which will prove instrumental in aiding the RBM Partnership’s fight to end malaria. She joins Ms Yacine Djibo to oversee the RBM Partnership’s SCPC activities.

Dr Corine Karema, Interim CEO of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, said: “I am delighted to welcome and congratulate Ms Natali and Ms Ngou on their appointment by the RBM Board respectively as SCPC and ARMPC Co-chairs. As advocacy and communications represent two crucial pillars of the RBM Partnership’s work, their talent, skills, knowledge and experience will strengthen the RBM work and role in ending malaria. Both contribute outstanding leadership credentials, a passion for improving global health, and crucial perspectives from two malaria endemic regions at different stages of the elimination journey. I am confident they will be invaluable assets to the Partnership and the fight against malaria.”