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Meeting highlights:
- Envu’s 60-year legacy in environmental science, consolidating as an independent company in 2022.
- Envu providing innovations for environmental health in Africa: preventing and addressing vector-borne diseases, impacting on economic productivity and food security.
- Africa as one of the core markets for Envu: focusing on battling Malaria and Dengue, some of the highest burdens of disease in the region.
- Envu promoting partnerships with local stakeholders to address vector-borne diseases in the continent, the importance of having a multi-sector effort.
- Envu’s commitment to engaging with local communities in Africa to increase awareness and education on health practices.
EF: Could you elaborate on your current role, and how your experience allowed you to transition into bringing innovations that protect and enhance the health of environments?
AC: I view my role as a continuation of my previous work in the pharmaceutical industry. As a pharmacist by training, I began my career in the pharmaceutical sector in Senegal, later moving to Ivory Coast and working across three continents, including many African countries, Europe, and the U.S.
The fight against malaria has always been important to me, as it remains a critical issue, especially in Africa where, despite progress, the disease still claims a life every two minutes, predominantly affecting children.
While significant improvements have been made, the burden persists. I feel fortunate to work at Envu, a company deeply committed to combating vector-borne diseases, including malaria and dengue fever. For me, this is a natural extension of my life's purpose—to contribute to a healthier Africa.
EF: Could you elaborate on the footprint of Envu, and the priorities that you have for the Africa region?
AC: Our company, with a legacy of over 50 years in combating vector-borne diseases, continues to play a significant role in the space. We have pioneered the use of indoor residual sprays (IRS), a tool that treats houses with long-lasting insecticides. In 2024 alone, over 14 million people will be protected from malaria across several African countries, including Ghana, Rwanda, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and even beyond Africa, in places like Latin America, where dengue fever is a major concern.
As one of the leading companies in the fight against vector-borne diseases, we continue to innovate and supply products that make a difference. This isn’t a recent development; our commitment spans over five decades. Our approach, however, isn't just about producing effective tools—it's about partnerships. We collaborate with scientists, engineers, and a wide range of other stakeholders because, as the African proverb says: “Alone you can go fast, but together you can go far.”
This philosophy drives our work as we strive to have a lasting and far-reaching impact on the fight against diseases like malaria and dengue fever.
EF: What do you think is needed to drive sustainable growth in Africa?
AC: Sustainable growth in Africa begins with ensuring that people are healthy and can live longer, while also actively contributing to the economy. Malaria isn't just a health issue; it has significant economic implications. Many people are unable to work because they or their children are affected by the disease, which keeps parents at home to care for their families. Therefore, the battle against malaria is not only about saving lives and reducing deaths but also about boosting Africa’s economy. A healthier population means increased productivity.
Another major challenge in Africa is food security, a concern that has become more urgent, especially in light of the recent geopolitical conflicts. Ensuring that food supplies are well-protected from pests is critical to reducing post-harvest losses. Our company is actively involved in addressing this issue by supporting grain storage solutions and working with countries to improve food protection measures. In addition to combating vector-borne diseases, we are committed to helping the continent achieve its goal of self-sufficiency in food production.
We have products that contribute to both health and food security efforts across the continent. This aligns with our broader strategy to promote a sustainable and healthy Africa, protecting the spaces that society and nature share. Our vision is deeply connected to our daily operations, working in partnership with governments, NGOs, and other stakeholders.
EF: How is Envu committed to creating capacity-building initiatives to ensure sustainable malaria control?
AC: We have been actively collaborating with partners, such as Mentor Initiatives and United to Beat Malaria, to address malaria, particularly in Nigeria’s Borno State, where malaria is a big burden. Through these partnerships, we’ve provided vital resources, which have helped protect over 400,000 people in camp refugees, reducing malaria cases by nearly 60% in Borno state, Nigeria.
In addition to product distribution, we focus on capacity building. In Rwanda, through our partnership with PAMCA, we helped local entomologists enhance their data management skills, ensuring that all interventions are measurable and impactful. We are also proud to contribute to efforts like these across West Africa, where we recently supported the construction of experimental huts in the Ivory Coast.
Our Innovation department is also participating in the Vector Control Professional Placement Program, an initiative of Innovation to Impact (i2i), funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The program is designed to provide researchers from African institutes with invaluable product development experience, bridging the gap between research and real-world application.
Malaria remains one of our top priorities in the fight against vector-borne diseases, but the world, and Africa in particular, is also facing outbreaks of dengue. Between last year and this year, we’ve provided essential support to countries, helping them prepare and respond to these challenges, for instance, there was a rapid response to the need in Mauritius for the necessary products during a recent outbreak. We are also working with other African countries heavily affected by dengue, providing innovative solutions such as our new product, which I believe will bring great results.
Looking ahead, our work will protect over 14 million people against Malaria in 2024 alone, through the procurement and distribution of our IRS products, we are committed to ensuring that no one is left behind, continuing to partner and serve to maximize the impact of our efforts in combating Vector-borne diseases.
EF: What are the key challenges you face when advocating for a holistic approach to malaria elimination, and how do you address them?
AC: When addressing malaria or other vector-borne diseases, the greatest burden falls on those in remote areas, not in urban centers. It's crucial to involve these communities, starting with awareness and ensuring they remain engaged. Community involvement is essential.
For example, during awareness campaigns on such occasions as World Malaria Day or Mosquito Day, or when conducting field visits, we collaborate with national malaria programs to engage the community.
In Rwanda, I witnessed a pre-campaign led by local communities, where district leaders engaged with residents, ensuring proper monitoring of which homes were treated. This integrated approach, involving manufacturers, government bodies, and local communities, is crucial for achieving a meaningful impact.
When it comes to fighting against vector-borne diseases, malaria in particular, we are increasingly advocating for integrated vector management (IVM), which combines various solutions to not only create immediate effects but also ensure long-term results. We need to advocate for this holistic approach, which combines methods like IRS, Insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs), and other solutions, to achieve the sustainable elimination of malaria in the coming years.
EF: What accomplishments are you most proud of achieving, and what do you look forward to in the future?
AC: I take great pride in the co-creation within our company, where everyone has the opportunity to contribute. This collaborative environment is something I value deeply. It provides increased freedom to operate, trust and a great sense of entrepreneurship. Every voice matters, and we promote an ownership mindset, where individuals feel empowered to participate rather than step back.
This inclusive culture allows us to bring the perspectives of our customers and partners to the table, amplifying the impact of our work across Africa and globally. It is this shared purpose and collaboration that drives us, not working in silos.
Our purpose is to advance healthy environments for everyone, everywhere. In mosquito management, that could mean looking at solutions that don’t necessarily eliminate mosquitoes, but instead change how they interact with humans. Our goal is to help balance the needs of humanity with those of nature, working with our partners to prevent the bite today so communities can thrive tomorrow. Personally, I feel incredibly fortunate and grateful to be part of this journey.
