The Federal Government has introduced key initiatives aimed at expediting the eradication of malaria in Nigeria.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, revealed these initiatives during a high-level dialogue on accelerating malaria elimination in Nigeria, held on Friday in Abuja.
The dialogue tagged ‘Rethinking Malaria Elimination,’ was organized by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) to rally stakeholders for the cause.
Pate emphasized the government’s resolute commitment to eliminating malaria in Nigeria, highlighting the adoption of a comprehensive and multi-sectoral approach to significantly reduce the disease’s burden and enhance the nation’s health outcomes.
The malaria eradication initiatives
Key highlights of the unveiled initiatives include:
- Enhanced vector control strategies: The government aims to bolster existing vector control measures such as insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs), indoor residual spraying (IRS), and larval source management (LSM), to curtail the transmission of malaria-causing mosquitoes.
- Expanded access to chemoprevention: Efforts will be intensified to broaden access to chemopreventive measures like Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC), Intermittent Preventive Treatment in pregnancy (IPTp), and Mass Drug Administration (MDA) among vulnerable populations across Nigeria.
- Deployment of innovative tools and technologies: Leveraging innovative tools and technologies, including rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), and mobile health (mHealth) solutions, for enhanced malaria diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance.
- Strengthened health systems: Investments will be made to reinforce Nigeria’s health systems, including training healthcare workers, enhancing laboratory capacity, and improving access to essential malaria interventions.
Pate highlighted the collaborative effort between Nigeria and its international development partners in accelerating malaria elimination, emphasizing the significance of community involvement and leadership across various sectors.
Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, Regional Director for Africa at the World Health Organization (WHO), emphasized the vital role of collaboration and support from international partners in achieving a malaria-free Nigeria, stressing the importance of reliable data in informed decision-making and effective intervention strategies.
Dr. Tunji Alausa, Minister of State for Health, emphasized the multi-faceted approach required for malaria elimination, involving collaboration across various government sectors such as environment, agriculture, and education.
Alausa highlighted the pivotal role of leveraging data and conducting comprehensive research as essential components in the malaria elimination endeavor.
- “We possess a wealth of evidence readily available to inform our strategies. It’s imperative that we harness this wealth of information and deploy a diverse array of tools at our disposal to effectively execute our malaria elimination strategies,” he said.
