Building Leaders, Defeating Malaria: Inside ELEMMINATE’s LMG Launch in Senegal

From June 2nd to 5th, 2025, Senegal hosted a high-level regional workshop at the Institut Pasteur de Dakar, bringing together 45 senior officials from the National Malaria Control Programs (NMCPs) and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Programs from Senegal and Togo. This gathering marked the official launch of the Leadership, Management, and Governance (LMG) Program under the ELEMMINATE Project, an initiative spearheaded by the Institute of Healthcare Management (IHM) at Strathmore University Business School (SBS).

The workshop was opened by Dr. Samba Cor Sarr, Chief Cabinet Secretary at the Ministry of Health and Social Action in Senegal. In his keynote remarks, Dr. Sarr emphasized the growing threat of parasite evolution and the need for localised, evidence-based strategies to tackle malaria effectively. His remarks served as an endorsement of the LMG initiative, signalling a strong government buy-in at the highest level. Such political will is critical not only for programmatic success but also for sustainability. By aligning leadership training with national health priorities, Senegal demonstrated how government ownership can anchor and legitimize capacity-building efforts in public health.

The presence of senior government representatives alongside technical leads from PNLP and NTD programs highlighted a unified front—one where leadership development is viewed not as ancillary, but essential to national malaria elimination strategies. This commitment was further validated by active media coverage during the opening session. The presence of journalists and local media outlets underscored the growing recognition that effective public health leadership must also be effectively communicated to the public. In doing so, the LMG launch doubled as a platform to elevate awareness around malaria control efforts and the role of leadership in driving lasting impact. Public visibility of such programs helps enhance accountability and galvanize community support, reinforcing the idea that health system transformation is a shared responsibility.

The LMG Program represents a collaborative effort between PNLP Senegal and SBS, reflecting a broader commitment to African-led, African-owned solutions in the fight against malaria. The program was led by Dr. Ben Ngoye, Principal Investigator of the ELEMMINATE Project, and Professor Gilbert Kokwaro, co-PI of the project & a leading figure in healthcare systems strengthening and implementation science across the continent.

The training focused on four core objectives: strengthening the strategic leadership capacity of NMCP and NTD officials; optimizing the management of human and financial resources; promoting good governance and intersectoral coordination; and establishing peer learning between countries. Participants engaged in scenario-based learning, structured reflections, and experience-sharing that connected national policy contexts to practical leadership challenges on the ground.

This initiative is firmly rooted in the broader mission of Strathmore Business School—to transform African leaders through personalised attention, ethical leadership, and applied learning. At the heart of the LMG Program lies a recognition that transformative leadership in health is about more than systems and structures; it’s about values, courage, and clarity of purpose.

The inclusion of media in this launch also speaks to the importance of strategic communication in health programming. Beyond the walls of technical workshops, the broader public needs to see and understand how leadership is being strengthened to serve communities better. By amplifying the voices of government officials, program implementers, and training institutions, the Senegal launch modelled how visibility, transparency, and storytelling can support buy-in—not just from governments, but from the public and partners alike.

As the ELEMMINATE Project continues to expand to other countries, SBS remains committed to nurturing a new generation of African health leaders. Leaders who are strategic, ethical, and equipped to navigate the complex landscape of malaria elimination and broader health system reform.