Nigeria accounts for 31 percent of global malaria deaths and 27 percent of total cases worldwide, according to the World Malaria Report 2024.

The country also accounted for nearly 40% of worldwide malaria deaths among children under five.

About 55 million cases of malaria and 90,000 malaria-related deaths occur in the country every year, while the economic burden of the disease in the country was estimated at $1.6b (N687 billion) in 2022 and may increase to about $2.8b (N2 trillion) in 2030.

Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.

Speaking at the event organised by the ministry in collaboration with the Gates Foundation and other partners to commemorate the World Malaria Day in Abuja, Minister of State for Health, Dr Adekunle Salako, said that Nigeria, malaria had continued to be a major public health issue, with children under five years of age and pregnant women being most at risk.

Salako noted that the disease not only causes suffering and death but also disrupts the economic ecosystem by hindering productivity and increasing healthcare costs.

He said, “I am particularly concerned by the statistics revealed in the World Malaria Report (WMR) 2024 which shows that Nigeria alone is responsible for 27% of the global malaria cases and 31% of the global malaria deaths. This highlights the urgent need for proactive action to prevent and eliminate this deadly disease within our borders.”

Salako observed that the federal Government is to implement Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) in the 21 SMC-eligible states and provide approximately 30 million under-five children with malaria preventive medicines.

He stated that efforts are being made to improve the availability of malaria treatment and diagnostic services in all the states, including those states currently affected by the United States’ “Stop Work Order” by the US Government.

The minister noted that, to ensure last-mile delivery, an integrated supply chain mechanism, coordinated by the National Product Supply Chain Management Programme will be utilised to ensure efficient delivery of these life-saving commodities to where they are most needed.

He observed that the government has made adequate budgetary allocation to fill the funding gap created by the freeze in USAID/PMI malaria elimination activities in Nigeria.

According to the government, urgent malaria commodity needs in USAID/PMI-supported health facilities in the affected states have been identified and will be procured through the Procurement and Supply Chain Management Unit in collaboration with the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC).

Salako said that the commodities to be procured include Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies (ACTs), Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) kits, Injectable artesunate for severe malaria, and Sulfadoxine/Pyrimethamine (SP) combination drugs for pregnant women.

The minister expressed concern over the statistics from the World Malaria Report (WMR) 2024, which shows that Nigeria alone is responsible for 27% of the global malaria cases and 31% of the global malaria deaths, saying that this highlights the urgent need for proactive action to prevent and eliminate this deadly disease.

He stated that the government has initiated the processes to pilot, for the first time, Larval Source Management in six states, which include: Abia, Borno, Ekiti, Lagos, Ondo, and Rivers States.

Salako observed that the federal government has deployed a phased rollout of the Malaria Vaccine in Kebbi and Bayelsa State, benefitting children aged 5-23 months (with around 80,000 eligible children receiving MV1) adding that the rollout of the Vaccine will be expanded to an additional 17 states in 2025 as part of our scale-up plan.

He noted that eliminating malaria and other related diseases is topmost in the agendas of this administration, adding that the government, through the Rethinking Malaria Initiative, has put into action key strategies to change the narratives and drive a more effective and efficient malaria elimination goal.

Salako observed that among these actions are the implementation of a Pragmatic costed plan that is based on sub-national tailoring of key malaria interventions and the establishment of an Advisory on Malaria Elimination in Nigeria (AMEN) which is harnessing top malaria experts across the globe to provide technical assistance support for the country’s efforts in eliminating malaria.

He added that through the support of partners, the government had also put evidence-based interventions in place to achieve a malaria-free Nigeria by 2030, including increasing access to insecticide-treated mosquito nets, which it plans to implement in 12 states this year.

According to him, the states include Akwa Ibom, Delta, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Oyo, Taraba and Yobe states.

He said, “We are working to strengthen our health systems and improve surveillance and data collection to better track the spread of malaria. This year, we are implementing two major surveys: The Rapid Impact Assessment and Malaria Indicator Surveys, both of which would help us to determine the effectiveness of our interventions and track progress towards our goals. The Rapid Impact Assessment will provide us with quick and actionable data on the short-term outcomes of our interventions, while the Malaria Indicator Survey will give us a better understanding of the prevalence and impact of malaria in the country.”

The minister stated that the theme of this year’s World Malaria Day, “Malaria Ends with Us: Reinvest, Reignite, reimagine”, is a call to take ownership and make the necessary decisions that will help us achieve our goal of eliminating this deadly disease.

“The accompanying slogan, “Stay Committed”, serves as a call to action for all of us, government, partners, businesses, communities and individuals to continue the efforts in the fight against malaria. We cannot become complacent in our efforts to reduce the burden of malaria. We must remain persistent and focused on our goal of eliminating this disease from our country. We owe it to the Nigerian people and the whole of humanity to continue pushing forward until we have achieved our mission.”

The minister who underscored the important role of the private sector in combating malaria said, “As a major contributor to the country’s economy, the private sector has the resources and expertise to support our efforts.

“We are working with the Nigeria End Malaria Council, a public-private partnership mechanism chaired by world-renowned businessman and philanthropist, Aliko Dangote to mobilize additional funding and other resources to support the implementation of the National Malaria Elimination Programme.

In an interview with The Guardian, Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Mr Auwal Rafsanjani, said that the financial burden of malaria treatment can be devastating for families, pushing them further into poverty and perpetuating a cycle of illness and economic hardship.

Rafsanjani noted that the high cost of malaria drugs undermines the progress made in reducing malaria-related morbidity and mortality, as many people are unable to access the treatment they need.

He said, “The impact of high malaria drug costs on the 2030 malaria elimination target cannot be overstated. Access to affordable and effective treatment is critical to reducing malaria transmission and achieving elimination. If left unchecked, the high cost of malaria drugs will continue to hinder progress towards this goal, perpetuating the suffering and loss of life caused by this preventable disease.”

Rafsanjani emphasised the need to increase access to affordable and effective malaria treatment, particularly for vulnerable populations.

According to him, this can be achieved through various strategies, including subsidies, price controls, and public-private partnerships.

“By making malaria treatment more accessible and affordable, Nigeria can accelerate progress towards malaria elimination and protect the health and well-being of its citizens,” he said.

-Guardian