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Fighting Malaria, Shaping Policy: Meet SIB Paul Marie Ange Auguste Anselme, One of the Newest Member of the Policy Advisory Stakeholders Group (PAS-G)
Every malaria statistic begins with a decision.
A decision about where limited resources should go. Which communities should receive vaccines first. Which interventions can save the greatest number of lives. And ultimately, which evidence policymakers choose to act upon.
For SIB Paul Marie Ange Auguste Anselme, these are not theoretical questions. They shape his work every day.
The scale of the challenge is staggering, with millions of malaria cases being recorded across Africa.Growing up and working in Burkina Faso, SIB has witnessed first-hand what happens when disease outpaces resources – and why good science alone is never enough. Unless evidence reaches policymakers, the people who need it most may never benefit from it.
It is this conviction that has shaped his career as a scientist and now brings him to the Africa Pandemic Sciences Collaborative’s Policy Advisory Stakeholders Group (PAS-G), where he joins a growing network of African researchers and policymakers working to strengthen the use of scientific evidence in decision-making across the continent.
A doctoral candidate in Medical Entomology at the Regional Institute of Health Sciences Research (IRSS/DRO) in Bobo-Dioulasso, SIB’s scientific journey spans biomedical analysis, bacteriology, virology and vector-borne disease research.
His institution’s work extends beyond malaria to include dengue fever, nutrition, sociology and infectious diseases, reflecting the interconnected nature of public health challenges. That multidisciplinary environment has shaped the way he approaches science – not as an end in itself, but as a tool for solving real-world problems.
For SIB, malaria remains one of the most urgent.
Despite decades of progress, Burkina Faso continues to carry an enormous malaria burden. In 2025 alone, the country recorded more than 10 million confirmed cases and approximately 3,500 deaths.
Behind those numbers, he sees children missing the chance to grow up healthy, families overwhelmed by illness, and a health system under constant pressure.
His team responded by strengthening prevention efforts, supporting the rollout of the new malaria vaccine and distributing long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs), particularly among the youngest and most vulnerable.
“The difficult choice was on who to prioritise; who bears the heaviest burden of disease?” He says, “We decided to focus heavily on prevention – new vaccine and long-lasting insecticidal nets – for the youngest children, because they are the ones most at risk of dying if nothing is done.”
Working on the frontlines of malaria control has taught SIB that scientific evidence does not automatically become public policy. Often, the greatest challenge lies in deciding where scarce resources should be invested.
“You know, it’s really difficult to do everything at once, given the enormous challenges and the scarcity of resources,” he explains. “We can’t do everything 100 per cent at the same time.”
Those realities have reinforced an important lesson for him: policymaking is rarely about choosing between good and bad options. More often, it is about making difficult decisions with limited resources while ensuring those decisions are informed by the best available evidence.
But evidence alone is rarely enough.
Implementing change also requires trust, dialogue, and an understanding of the people expected to embrace new approaches.
“Sometimes, to implement a major reform, especially in the healthcare sector, it’s necessary not only to adopt a pedagogical approach, but also to be willing to negotiate with stakeholders whose interests are often affected,” he says.
“These innovations very often encounter resistance from certain officials who are entrenched in outdated methods, and from a segment of the population that doesn’t always immediately grasp the proposed changes.”
For SIB, successful public health programmes depend as much on listening as they do on leading. His approach is simple: build trust first, communicate clearly, and turn resistance into collaboration.
Throughout his career, SIB has remained focused on ensuring research does not stop at publication. His work is driven by a desire to see scientific findings translated into programmes, interventions and policies that improve people’s lives.
“Data plays a crucial role, especially in healthcare,” he says. “It is through this data that we gain credibility with policymakers and partners.”
Reaching communities is equally important. His team complements scientific research with public engagement through symposia, open-house events, and radio and television campaigns, recognising that meaningful public health action depends on both evidence and public understanding.
SIB joined the Policy Advisory Stakeholders Group.
As one of the youngest members of the Collaborative’s Policy Advisory Stakeholders Group, SIB brings his technical expertise in malaria research, as well as practical experience navigating the complex intersection of science, implementation and policymaking.
SIB Paul Marie Ange with Vimbai Mukwekwezeke, the two newest members of the PAS-G
But working with experienced policymakers in the PAS-G, he hopes to contribute his perspectives drawn from both research and field implementation while learning alongside fellow and seasoned scientists and policymakers committed to strengthening evidence-informed decision-making across Africa.
His ambition extends beyond malaria.
He wants to see more young African scientists equipped not only to generate evidence but also to understand how policy is shaped – and how scientific voices can influence the decisions that affect millions of people.
“It is through this that, together, our voices will carry more weight and credibility with our political leaders,” he says, “leading to a better Africa, safe from all pandemics.”
For SIB, the future of public health will not be determined by science alone.
It will be shaped by the choices leaders make with that science.
And every better decision begins with evidence.
