Nigeria’s strides in the battle against malaria have earned praise from the World Health Organisation (WHO). Over a span of 21 years, from 2000 to 2021, malaria-related deaths in Nigeria decreased by an impressive 55 percent, as revealed by the WHO.
The global health authority also commended the Federal Government for reducing both the prevalence and fatalities caused by malaria, with a 26 percent drop in the prevalence of the disease during the same period.
Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, shared this positive news during the unveiling of Nigeria’s first-ever subnational malaria report in 2022. While acknowledging that Nigeria still bears approximately 27 percent of the global malaria burden, Dr. Moeti highlighted significant progress in combating the disease.
Dr. Moeti noted that persistent challenges in the fight against malaria include Nigeria’s vast population, making it challenging to scale up interventions, suboptimal surveillance systems capturing less than 40 percent of malaria data, inadequate funding for universal interventions across all states, and a preference for the private healthcare sector with limited regulation among the population.
She stated, “Since 2000, malaria incidence in Nigeria has fallen by 26 percent, from 413 cases per 1,000 to 302 cases per 1,000 in 2021. Malaria-related deaths have also declined by 55 percent, from 2.1 per 1,000 population to 0.9 per 1,000 population.”
Dr. Moeti emphasized the importance of maintaining essential health services, particularly in regions affected by humanitarian emergencies, and the significance of gathering critical data for evidence-based decision-making.
In response, Prof. Muhammad Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, highlighted governance challenges as a major obstacle in the country’s fight against malaria. He expressed the intention to collaborate with development partners and the private sector to secure the necessary resources to address this issue.
Additionally, the Ministry plans to retrain approximately 120,000 health workers and update their practice standards as part of their commitment to eradicating malaria and improving healthcare in Nigeria.