December 2024
Dear members of the REACH Network,
As we reflect on 2024, we are filled with immense gratitude to you all, and with pride at our collective accomplishments. This year marked a defining moment for the REACH Network, not only in advancing child survival but also in strengthening our partnerships, refining our strategies, and reaffirming our commitment to equity and sustainability.
The signing of the Abuja Declaration on REACH for Child Survival was a milestone for our Network. The Declaration encapsulates our shared vision – of every child in Africa having the opportunity to thrive – and compels us to turn that vision into an ambitious but pragmatic plan for meaningful action. It is a call to implement the collective resolve of all REACH member countries and partners, and to lead the charge in reducing child mortality.
We made significant progress together in 2024. Our research agenda, around the distribution of life-saving azithromycin, is progressing well, and the scale-up of interventions, in three participating countries, means that we are already delivering measurable reductions in child mortality, while building stronger, country-led systems.
The engagement at the Abuja Annual Regional Meeting demonstrated the power of our collaboration, as diverse stakeholders aligned their expertise and resources in the service of a unified goal.
As we turn our focus to 2025, we are looking forward already to a pivotal year. Our priorities will centre on operationalizing our commitment to equity, ensuring that resources are directed to the most vulnerable and underserved populations. This will require a robust and transparent framework, clear criteria, and consensus among stakeholders. As ever, we will be formulating this consensus together, as a Network, in an equity workshop which is being planned for the early part of the new year.
We will also continue to advance our work in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance, ensuring that the benefits of azithromycin are balanced with vigilant monitoring, so as to safeguard the treatment’s effectiveness.
Collaboration with reinvigorated technical working groups and expert committees will be essential in guiding these efforts.
Another critical focus for 2025 will be the scale-up of our impact.
We aim to expand the REACH Network into new high-mortality countries while also integrating multi-disease goals, including neglected tropical disease (NTD) control and immunization, to maximize the reach and efficiency of our interventions.
Securing sustainable funding and aligning with national and regional policies will also be vital as we build on the solid foundations we have already put in place to ensure long-term success.
Finally, we will prioritize communication and advocacy, to ensure greater visibility for the REACH Network’s achievements and unique partnerships. The development of a ‘Strategic Engagement Plan for the Co-Chairs and the Network’ will guide our efforts in mobilizing resources and influencing policy at the global, regional, and national levels.
To all our partners and members, we say thank you, for your unwavering commitment, passion, and dedication to this shared mission. Your contributions are a source of continuous inspiration and enable us to look to the future with confidence and conviction.
2025 will be a year of alignment, of growth, and of action — a time to give material reality to the vision of the Abuja Declaration and to deliver transformative results on behalf of children and communities across Africa.
With heartfelt gratitude and our best wishes for a peaceful holiday season and a happy and healthy new year,
Minister Muhammad Ali Pate
Co-chair, REACH Network
Professor Samba Sow
Co-chair, REACH Network
