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The campaign to end malaria in the country by 2030 got additional boost recently with the inauguration of the Nigeria End Malaria Council by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja. The 16-member council is headed by the founder and President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote. While inaugurating the council, President Buhari projected that the successful implementation of its agenda and savings from the estimated economic burden of the disease would save Nigeria about N687 billion in 2022 and N2 trillion by 2030. It will improve the quality of life, health and well-being of Nigerians and reduce the number of those killed annually by the disease.
According to the President, “our inauguration of the council today will therefore ensure that malaria elimination remains a priority on our agenda, with strong political commitment from leaders at all levels.” We commend the President for launching the initiative and urge him and leaders of government at the sub-national level to adequately fund the end malaria programme. The bold intervention must be made to work efficiently. The end malaria programme should not end like others before it. Since malaria is the major cause of death in this part of the world, any measure to halt the scourge must get the support of the citizens, who bear the burden of the huge malaria tax.
Instructively, the President has given assurance that “the end malaria council will provide a platform to advocate for more funding to protect and sustain the progress made so far by our country and put us on a pathway for ending malaria for good.” Malaria is among the killer diseases currently ravaging Nigeria. Others are diphtheria, tuberculosis, measles, cholera, Lassa fever and typhoid fever.
According to the 2021 World Health Organisation (WHO) report, Nigeria accounts for 27 per cent of all cases of malaria and 32 per cent of malaria-related deaths globally. There were about 241 million malaria cases and 627, 000 malaria deaths worldwide in 2020. Nigeria accounted for 31.9 per cent of the total deaths. In specific terms, the National Malaria Elimination Programme report maintains that about 90,000 malaria-related deaths are recorded in the country every year.
In April this year, there were 289,957 cases of malaria recorded at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. Malaria accounted for 70 per cent of outpatient visits, 40 per cent of admissions with a total of 389,957 cases reported, and a malaria prevalence rate of 35.4 per cent, according to reports credited to the Mandate Secretary, Health and Human Service Secretariat (HHSS), Dr. Abubakar Tafida. The figures, though conservative, are worrisome.
Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Its symptoms include fever, cold, sweats, headache, body aches, nausea and vomiting. The virus thrives in the developing world and continues to spread because of poverty, ignorance, poor health practices, poor environmental practices and poor housing.
The health and socio-economic implications of malaria are enormous. Last year, the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, remarked that malaria was responsible for an average annual reduction of 1.3 per cent in Africa’s economic growth. In Nigeria, malaria-related absenteeism and productivity losses are estimated at US$ 1.1 billion every year. We agree with the WHO that every malaria case is preventable, and every malaria death is unacceptable. Eliminating malaria should remain a priority of all tiers of the government. Therefore, the NEMC initiative is a step in the right direction. The choice of Aliko Dangote as the chairman of the council is in order. There is no doubt that the council will do well to ensure that the country meets the target for elimination of malaria.
Nigeria’s anti-malaria war had been driven largely by donor agencies and private initiatives. It is good that the government is leading the campaign. It must not relent until the scourge is eliminated. The deadline for ending malaria is realistic and attainable.
Apart from stopping the annual malaria tax, ending malaria will reduce child and maternal deaths. According to experts, malaria in pregnancy is a significant contributor to maternal and neonatal mortality. It is a major cause of anemia in pregnant women, which contributes to maternal death at delivery due to hemorrhage, and causes stillbirths, preterm birth, and low birth weight. The end malaria campaign should be vigorously pursued.
Government at all levels must prioritise the end malaria initiative. All other diseases afflicting the citizens should not be left behind. While ending malaria is desirable, it will be difficult to achieve with mounting refuse dumps and clogged drainages in our cities. There is need to keep the environment clean through regular fumigation.
