Professor Wilfred Mbacham //Photo courtesy
Malaria, a serious Mosquito-borne parasitic disease, remains a serious socio-economic burden for Africa, claiming the life of a child under five nearly every minute. The World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2024 report paints a stark picture: the African Region shoulders the world’s heaviest malaria burden, with 94% of global cases and 95% of deaths, approximately 246 million cases and 5,690,000 deaths.
In Cameroon, the challenge is particularly acute, with the entire population at risk and the disease accounting for over 12% of all medical consultations, making it a leading cause of mortality and morbidity.
Yet, in the face of these daunting numbers, a powerful counter-narrative is emerging. It is led by a man who wears both a lab coat and a royal crown: HRH Professor Wilfred Fon Mbacham. A traditional ruler and a Harvard-trained scientist, Prof. Mbacham is not just studying the problem; he is shaping the scientific and strategic path toward malaria elimination in Cameroon and Africa.
As a Titular Professor of Public Health Biotechnology at the University of Yaoundé I, Prof. Mbacham’s research has been instrumental in redefining the fight against malaria. His work at LAPHER-Biotech has directly addressed two of the most significant threats to malaria control: drug resistance and diagnostic accuracy.
His pioneering research on the Pfcrt and Pfmdr1 genetic markers provided the foundational evidence for understanding and tracking chloroquine resistance in Plasmodium falciparum. This research directly informed Cameroon’s national drug policy shift to Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies (ACTs); a move critical to maintaining treatment efficacy. As a result, Cameroon has contributed to regional efforts that have seen ACT coverage in children under five in West and Central Africa rise from 1% in 2010 to over 30% today, saving countless lives.
His work validating Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)–based diagnosis for vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women, has been crucial for improving surveillance and ensuring targeted treatment. Enhanced diagnostic precision underpins the “test-before-treat” policy, helping reduce unnecessary drug use and slow the emergence of resistance.
Prof. Mbacham’s influence extends from the molecular level to global health governance. As Chair of the Board of Trustees for the UK-based Malaria Consortium, he leads an organization that implements life-saving interventions across Africa, focusing on community-based management and strengthening health systems. Under his guidance, Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) distribution campaigns have reached over 90% of households in targeted districts in Cameroon.
His previous roles coordinating the Antimalarial Drug Resistance Network at WHO/TDR and chairing the IAEA’s African Regional Cooperative Agreement (AFRA) have been pivotal in creating a coordinated, data-driven African response. These efforts foster Pan-African collaboration necessary to track cross-border resistance and implement harmonized treatment protocols, contributing directly to malaria control gains.
Perhaps his most enduring legacy is his work building institutional frameworks for African scientific independence. He developed the “Pro-P.A.S.T.E.U.R.” philosophy, integrating science, education, and innovation. This vision materializes in his brainchild, the Fobang Institutes for Innovation in Science & Technology (FINISTECH), which trains the next generation of African problem-solvers.
As Chair of Cameroon’s National Ethics Committee for Research Involving Humans, Prof. Mbacham has been instrumental in developing the ethical framework that enabled the successful rollout of new tools.
His leadership was significant in building trust and regulatory oversight for Cameroon to become one of the first countries to launch the Routine Childhood Malaria Vaccination Program with the RTS’s vaccine in 2024. He frames this milestone not just as a medical breakthrough, but as a catalyst for human potential, noting that preventing recurrent malaria in children directly improves cognitive development and educational outcomes.
HRH Prof. Wilfred Fon Mbacham embodies a transformative model of leadership and one of the rare figures who can decode a parasite’s genome and command the respect of village elders, ensuring that global strategies are grounded in local realities.
His career offers a clear blueprint for how Africa can confront its health challenges by investing in its scientists, building its institutions and leading with ethical rigour and scientific excellence.
This story has been featured in the just-launched Luminate Africa Journal, the first edition of The Africa Feature Network’s end-year magazine, and can be downloaded from the journal
