Dangote, Elumelu, Otedola, others lead malaria elimination campaign

From Fred Ezeh, Abuja

Chairman, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings; and Femi Otedola, Chairman of Geregu Power Plc, and several others have committed themselves to the campaign to eliminate Malaria in Nigeria under the platform of Nigeria End Malaria Council (NEMC).

They are expected to achieve the goal through resource mobilization, grassroots advocacy, human capital development and several other ways that could be required to achieve the desired goal.

Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, who inaugurated the Council in Abuja, at the weekend, recalled that the former President, Muhammadu Buhari, inaugurated the Council in August, 2022, with a task to reduce malaria burden and improve the quality of lives of all Nigerians.

He said: “By reason of your position and the interest groups you represent, you are members of the Council and so I call on you to ensure that this laudable initiative is beneficial to all especially, our pregnant women and children under five.

“As you may be aware, malaria remains a major public health disease in Nigeria. It takes its greatest toll on children under five and pregnant women. Nigeria contributes 27 per cent of global malaria cases, and 32 per cent of global malaria deaths. The economic burden of malaria for 2022 was estimated to be N687 billion and this is very likely to rise to N2 trillion by 2030.

“Considering the huge gap in programme and commodity costs, and the corresponding adverse effects, the Federal Government, approved and inaugurated the NEMC to advocate for malaria to remain high on the national and state agendas through strong political commitment from leaders at all levels, mobilize financial and in-kind resources from new and innovative sources including the private sector to help close resource gaps in the national malaria strategic plan,” he explained.

The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Tunji Alausa, in his remarks at the inaugural NEMC meeting explained that the Council had become so necessary to reduce or possibly eliminate malaria in Nigeria by 2030.

He challenged the Council members to bring in a great wealth of capacity, expertise and experience both locally and globally to help answer the malaria questions.

He also thanked them for accepting to serve as council members, hoping to see the achievement of zero malaria in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, Aliko Dangote, the Chairman of the Council, pointed out that a lot of gaps exist in the malaria programme particularly in the area of support for the procurement of antimalarial commodities and programmes to ensure a quick reduction in the malaria burden.

He explained that the Council was meant to carry out two key functions. First, to ensure that Malaria elimination remains high on Nigeria’s agenda with strong political commitment from leaders at all levels, and secondly, advocate at the National and State levels to ensure sufficient funding to protect the progress made so far, sustain the progress, and be on an irreversible pathway to ending Malaria for good.

He promised that the Council will not fail in its responsibilities, which includes advocacy, resource mobilization and accountability, adding that the Council will be supported by two working groups, the Resource Mobilization Working Group and the Communication and Advocacy Working Group, and they would be made up of representatives of the members of the Council.

Dangote further explained that the Resource Mobilization Working Group would identify innovative and practical approaches to addressing Malaria gaps, while the Communication and Advocacy Group, on the other hand, will support the engagement of and amplify community action against Malaria.

He highlighted the additional burden of the disease, which includes man-hours lost through work and school absenteeism, which have further contributed significantly to the economic burden of the nation.

The NEMC Secretariat, led by its Executive Secretary, Mr. Ope Abegunde, was also handed over to the Council, thus signalling the government’s commitment to making malaria history in Nigeria.