![Nigeria’s Minister of State for Environment, Iziaq Salako [PHOTO: IG @iziaqsalako]](https://i0.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2024/01/Screenshot-583-e1704785799778.png?fit=832%2C566&ssl=1)
The Nigerian Government has reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating malaria, citing the disease’s significant socio-economic impact on the country.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, emphasised this during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the Malaria Consortium, led by Nnenna Ogbulafor, national coordinator of the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP).
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Speaking at the meeting, Mr Salako stated that malaria elimination remains a top priority under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, given the disease’s impact on public health and the nation’s economy.
Nigeria accounts for 27 per cent of global malaria cases and 31 per cent of malaria-related deaths, making it a top priority for the government.
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The Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, in November 2024 also reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to combat malaria, describing it as a health and economic emergency requiring urgent action.
SWAP impact
Mr Salako highlighted the government’s progress in combating malaria through the Sector Wide Approach (SWAp), which fosters collaboration between the federal and state governments.
He explained that SWAp enabled the ministry to track annual operations and implementation plans at state levels with a unified healthcare policy.
He pointed out that adopting digital health initiatives has been critical to creating a central repository centre where information about health data can be accessed.
“We have the digital in health initiative. It is a nationwide initiative to digitalise our system at all levels of healthcare: primary, secondary and tertiary,” Mr Salako said.
He also emphasised the importance of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) for primary healthcare in ensuring consistent funding for malaria interventions.
“The BHCPF, I believe, covers malaria. And in this government, the management of that fund has been reorganised. We are making the funds available more regularly,” he said.
“I am happy that this is what you are observing from the field. I want to assure you that as a country, we will continue to cherish and support the Malaria Consortium to deliver on your mandate.”
Malaria Consortium’s role
The minister recognised the significant contributions of the Malaria Consortium as a global brand in addressing challenges around malaria, particularly in a country like Nigeria.
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Mr Salako described the organisation as a vital partner and collaborator in Nigeria’s agenda to eliminate malaria.
In his remarks, the Director of Programmes at the Malaria Consortium, Kolawole Maxwell, shared the outcomes of the organisation’s research and assessment visits across Northern and Southern Nigeria.
Mr Maxwell highlighted innovative approaches, including addressing barriers to using insecticide-treated nets and developing tailored solutions to enhance malaria case management.
“We are working with stakeholders to understand what are the incentives and barriers for the use of nets. That is the first phase. The second phase is we are working with them to now use those findings to create what we call prototypes of solutions,” he said.
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