By Admin
Nigeria has cut malaria prevalence by half over the past decade, reducing the rate from 42 per cent in 2015 to 21 per cent in 2026, according to findings from the latest Malaria Indicator Survey (MIS), a major milestone in the country's battle against one of its deadliest public health threats.
The achievement came into focus during a high-level strategic meeting involving the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate; Executive Director of the Global Fund, Peter Sands; the World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative in Nigeria; representatives of the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership; and senior officials of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
The meeting reviewed progress made in the fight against HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria while exploring ways to strengthen collaboration and sustain momentum across the three disease programmes.
Speaking at the session, Prof. Pate said global health partnerships must deliver tangible benefits to citizens, stressing that stronger coordination among governments, development partners and implementing agencies produces better outcomes than fragmented interventions.
He commended partners for their continued support in combating HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria and pointed to several milestones recorded under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative.
Among them are the inauguration of the Advisory on Malaria Elimination in Nigeria (AMEN), advances in the local production of insecticide-treated mosquito nets, and ongoing efforts to revitalise primary healthcare centres across the country.
While acknowledging the gains recorded in malaria control, the minister said Tuberculosis remains a major public health concern that requires greater attention and intensified action.
He also raised concerns over recurring supply chain challenges that have affected programme delivery in recent years, calling for a stronger, more efficient and resilient national supply chain system capable of supporting health interventions nationwide.
Prof. Pate further identified sustainability as a critical issue, emphasising the need to increase domestic financing for health programmes in order to safeguard existing gains and reduce dependence on external funding.
Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom S., mni, also hailed the progress achieved in disease control programmes, particularly in HIV prevention.
She noted the growing acceptance and demand for long-acting HIV prevention products among beneficiaries and urged that similar innovations be explored and expanded across other disease areas where appropriate.
Speaking on behalf of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, Chief Executive Officer Michael Adekunle praised Nigeria's sustained leadership in malaria control and disclosed that the organisation had established an office in Addis Ababa, partly in response to issues and priorities consistently raised by Nigeria during previous engagements.
In his remarks, Global Fund Executive Director Peter Sands acknowledged Nigeria's significant HIV burden and expressed concern that the country receives comparatively fewer long-acting HIV prevention commodities despite the scale of the challenge.
He commended the Federal Government's ongoing health sector reforms and praised the quality of Nigeria's recently submitted application under the new Global Fund Grant Cycle, expressing confidence in the country's determination to achieve stronger health outcomes.
The meeting ended with a renewed commitment by all parties to deepen collaboration, strengthen domestic ownership of health programmes, improve supply chain efficiency, expand sustainable financing mechanisms and accelerate efforts to eliminate HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria as public health threats in Nigeria.
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