The battle to eradicate malaria, along with TB and HIV/AIDS, relies heavily on political support and money from the international community to The Global Fund. In 2016 the newly-elected government was moving to the right and there was a question mark over whether they would renew their £1bn commitment to the fund. Malaria No More approached Blakeney for support to create and deliver a political and media strategy. Working closely with their team, we demonstrated the significant return on investment of money given to malaria eradication, and the British Government renewed its contribution to the fund in late 2016.

In 2019 the UK Government changed again and, with Brexit consuming the political debate for the past three years, the chances of a further renewal for The Global Fund looked even less likely and Malaria No More turned to Blakeney for support once again.

But then the COVID-19 crisis struck, putting at risk the decades of hard work on malaria eradication. It was crucial to keep malaria eradication on the political agenda at a time of international crisis. Using a combination of traditional media and new technologies, Blakeney created effective ways of engaging with government and parliamentarians in an unprecedented crisis. Within two weeks, we brought world-renowned experts together with policy makers in a virtual parliamentary reception chaired by a leading journalist. This innovative format provided decision-makers with a detailed understanding of the importance of their continued support for malaria eradication. It also solidified relationships between Malaria No More, a new Government Minister and the newly-appointed shadow teams. These relationships will be vital in securing future investment.

Blakeney continues to work with Malaria No More to build advocacy and funding for malaria eradication, and to save millions of lives from the world’s oldest disease.