#EndMalariaInNigeria

25th April 2023

PRESS STATEMENT

2023 WORLD MALARIA DAY COMMEMORATION;

THEME: “Time to deliver zero malaria: invest, innovate, implement”

NIGERIA MUST PUT MORE EFFORT TO FIGHT MOSQUITO IF WE MUST DELIVER ZERO MALARIA

As we commemorate the 2023 world malaria Day today April 25th, it is important to remind the Nigeria authority and Policymakers that Malaria has remain a huge Public Health challenge and the highest killer disease in Nigeria with over 10 Million cases and 200, 000 deaths annually, this amount to about 31.9% of the global Malaria indices.

MALARIA ELIMINATION INTERVENTIONS IN NIGERIA

#EndMalariaInNigeria commends efforts and interventions being made by various groups, individuals, and Government agencies Over the years toward malaria elimination in Nigeria and it is in recognition of this that we have in the last year advocated a redirection in the methods of intervention from curative to preventive.

Although the use of IPT, prophylaxis, and distribution of ITNs to pregnant women has helped in reducing malaria mortality among pregnant women in some regions of the country when compared to previous records, however, certain factors have limited the effectiveness of this method. Most rural Nigerian women due to lack of education are still attached to some cultural and religious beliefs that dissuade them from taking this treatment.

Also, the poor housing system with no ventilation compounded with an epileptic power supply is a discouraging factor for not using distributed insecticide-treated nets (ITNs)

UNDERFUNDED MALARIA VACCINE DEVELOPMENT LABORATORY AND NIGERIA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL RESEARCH

Recently, Nigeria and Ghana approved the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine produced by Oxford University which is an improved version of the RTS, S vaccine that has already been approved by the WHO.

It is worrisome that the Nigeria Vaccine Development Laboratory was active for about six decades, between 1940 and 1991, producing large quantities of vaccines against smallpox, rabies, and yellow fever for not only Nigeria, but neighboring countries like Cameroon, Central Africa, and a few other countries in Africa have remained dormant. Though It was closed in 1991 by the federal government which said it wanted to reactivate and upgrade the facility, its resuscitation has remained a mirage. A once-viable Laboratory has been abandoned to donor funding.

Similarly, the Nigeria Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) established under the Enabling Act of 1977 focuses on scientific areas of research in Biochemistry and Nutrition, Virology Vaccinology, Immunology, Health system and policy research, Reproductive, Maternal and Childhood diseases Research, Clinical Science, Microbiology, Molecular biology Biotechnology and public Health, with studies that focus on diseases has also remain underfunded by government and left to donor funding.

NIGERIA END MALARIA COUNCIL

252 Days after the inauguration of the Dangote-led Nigeria Malaria Elimination Council, nothing significant has been heard of the council inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari to mobilize resources towards the fight against malaria.  Just as our organization stated when it was inaugurated that it was a “wild goose chase and a business for the big boys” we have been vindicated.

From similar failed efforts like the Role Back Malaria program in 1998, initiated and funded by international organizations like WHO, UNDP, etc, such Council will fail in achieving its aim.

PREVENTIVE INTERVENTION IS REQUIRED TO DELIVER ZERO MALARIA

Malaria is transmitted by an infected female anopheles mosquito, and it goes through complete metamorphosis. 3 out of these 4 stages of metamorphosis take place on the water and that means water is vital in the reproduction of this vector, invariably altering the stages of this vector by ensuring proper water management, waste management, larva source management, and a combination of other methods like Indoor Residual Spraying, etc., could drastically reduce malaria cases and mortality in Nigeria.

We use this occasion of World Malaria Day 2023 to call on the Nigerian government to immediately mobilize Environmental health professionals in coming up with National environmental health and water management plan that will address drainage and Dams construction, construction of sanitary landfill, etc as a direct process of fighting mosquito in Nigeria.

Government should also invest in primary health care and improve remuneration for health workers, adequately funding the Nigeria vaccine development laboratory, and Nigeria Institute of medical research. We also call on the government to open and adequately fund research centers in Universities across the nation.

We use the occasion to call on international organizations to renew commitment and efforts in ending malaria in Nigeria through partnership with organizations like the #EndMalariaInNigeria in combating malaria in Nigeria.

Nigeria can attain a malaria-free status. A country is granted malaria-free certification by WHO when the country proves that it has interrupted indigenous transmission of the disease for at least 3 consecutive years.

If African countries like Lesotho, Mauritius, Algeria Libya, Egypt, LA Reunion, Seychelles, and Tunisia have been declared malaria-free, then Nigeria can put an end to the over 200, 000 malaria mortality annually.

Francis Nwapa Watch

Convener: #EndMalariaInNigeria