EBC Financial Group and United to Beat Malaria mark Suriname and Timor-Leste’s malaria-free milestone, with the Pulse 360° podcast amplifying the call for continued global action.
Samuel Hertz, EBC Financial Group’s Head of APAC, highlights the Group’s commitment in Pulse 360° after WHO certifies Suriname & Timor-Leste malaria-free.
DC, UNITED STATES, August 25, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As the World Health Organization (WHO) certifies Suriname as malaria-free, EBC Financial Group (EBC) joins United to Beat Malaria and partners across the globe in celebrating this public health milestone—while calling for renewed urgency in regions where malaria continues to cause significant loss of life.
Nearly half of the world’s population live at
risk of malaria, and eradicating the disease could save an estimated 11 million lives, according to the WHO.In a new episode of Pulse 360°, EBC’s official Spotify podcast, Samuel Hertz, Head of APAC, shares how EBC’s journey with the United Nations Foundation’s United to Beat Malaria campaign has evolved into a long-term mission of advocacy, employee action, and shared responsibility.
“Suriname’s certification shows what’s possible when long-term strategies align with local leadership and global will,” said Hertz. “But in many parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, malaria is still estimated to claim a child’s life every minute. We cannot afford to lose focus now.”
Building on Momentum: A Partnership Anchored in Purpose
EBC’s partnership with United to Beat Malaria began in 2024, driven by a shared belief that no child should die from a mosquito bite. What started as a values-aligned collaboration has grown into a global movement within the company—supported by both senior leadership and grassroots employee engagement across EBC’s offices worldwide.
“We didn’t go shopping for a cause—we were introduced to United to Beat Malaria, and it resonated immediately,” said Hertz in the episode. “The data was staggering. 76% of malaria deaths in the African region are children under five. That’s not just tragic—it’s unacceptable.”
Since then, EBC has evolved from ally to active advocate, joining more than 120 delegates at the United to Beat Malaria Annual Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., and meeting with U.S. legislators to advocate for sustained malaria funding. In 2025, the firm also became a first-time corporate sponsor of the Move Against Malaria 5K, mobilising employees across over 30 countries to raise awareness and support prevention efforts.
“What made this special was how personal it became for our teams,” Hertz said. “We saw everything from group runs to our Mongolian colleagues completing the 5K on horseback. That kind of creativity and commitment—across time zones and cultures—proves this mission belongs to all of us.”
In 2024 alone, EBC-supported United to Beat Malaria programmes helped protect more than 1.67 million people from malaria—supporting the delivery of 132,000 insecticide-treated bed nets, 299,300 anti-malarial treatments, 443,350 rapid diagnostic tests, protecting 45,833 homes through indoor spraying campaigns, and training 165 health workers and lab technicians.
Continued Threats Demand Continued Investment
While Suriname’s and Timor-Leste's certification represents important progress, malaria remains a deadly threat in many regions—especially in areas affected by climate instability, displacement, and under-resourced health systems. According to the World Health Organization (WHO)’s World Malaria Report 2024, malaria sickened an estimated 263 million people and claimed more than 597,000 lives—most of them children under the age of five.
The African continent alone accounted for 94% of cases and 95% of all malaria-related deaths. The WHO further projects that climate change could increase malaria deaths by 15% between 2030 and 2050, intensifying the threat for vulnerable regions.
Since its inception, United to Beat Malaria programmes have helped avert 2.2 billion cases and saved over 12.7 million lives through prevention, treatment, and advocacy campaigns.
EBC’s ongoing partnership with United to Beat Malaria directly supports malaria elimination efforts in Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean—where the burden remains disproportionately high. Through its involvement, EBC helps fund essential tools such as insecticide-treated bed nets, diagnostics, and antimalarial treatments, and supports advocacy for continued global health investment.
“This is not just a health issue—it’s a workforce issue, an economic issue, and a strategic global issue,” Hertz said. “As a financial institution with clients and staff in malaria-endemic regions, we see the ripple effect of this disease. Our commitment is part of building long-term resilience.”
A New Platform for Impact: Pulse 360° Podcast Debuts with a Mission-Driven Episode
The Pulse 360° podcast—launched in July 2025—is EBC’s official thought leadership platform on Spotify. It features conversations that span financial innovation, market resilience, and social impact. Hertz’s episode offers a candid reflection on operational leadership, personal responsibility, and what it means for a company to step into global health advocacy.
“We built Pulse 360° to spotlight the people and values behind the markets,” Hertz noted. “And I couldn’t think of a more important way to begin than by sharing our journey with United to Beat Malaria.”
The full episode is now streaming on Spotify. Upcoming episodes will feature insights on financial literacy, climate adaptation, and regional empowerment—bridging industry expertise with human stories.
Looking Ahead: World Malaria Day Americas and Beyond
EBC will continue supporting United to Beat Malaria through new campaigns planned for World Malaria Day for the Americas in November, followed by broader global activations in April 2026. These efforts build on the Group’s broader Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies, which focus on sustainable development and inclusive impact.
For more information about EBC Financial Group’s CSR initiatives, please visit www.ebc.com/ESG.
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