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By Seyifunmi Dawodu
Nigeria has a malaria scourge that begs urgent intervention. In a country where a large percentage of its estimated 200 million population are living in high malaria transmission areas, it has become a matter of desperation to actualise a significant reduction or absolute eradication of the disease.
Although malaria continues to stir up devastating effects on the health infrastructure and livelihood of people around the globe, it is the rate of spread and fatal outcomes in the populous West African nation that is a cause for worry. In a country where the transmission season can last for an entire year, only 24 per cent of the population lives in low transmission areas. Prevalence in the South and South East region ranges between 16 and 19 per cent, while it is as high as 34-37 per cent in the North West region — a situation, which, unsurprisingly, gives rise to alarming casualty figures.
According to the World Malaria Report 2021, Nigeria recorded 27 per cent of global malaria cases — the highest number in the year under review. And as a result the country ultimately accounted for the highest number — 23 per cent — of global malaria deaths. General efforts towards stemming the spread and impact of the disease have done little to alleviate the casualty level, with the country recording over 200,000 malaria-caused deaths every year. Making up a significant number of these deaths from malaria are infants who suffer a 30 per cent mortality rate, while 11 per cent of the general populace dies from the preventable and treatable disease.
These disturbing statistics would suggest a lack of significant investment or efforts toward the eradication of malaria, but insights into the attempts by the Federal Government, public and private sectors indicate noteworthy measures have been employed over the years. On its part, government has shown the desire to curtail the impact of the disease by investing in and sponsoring various intervention programmes and collaborating with global organisations.
Strategic efforts by government have so far included the creation and implementation of the National Malaria Strategic Plan (NMSP), which played a pivotal role in the fight against the disease between 2014 and 2020. In more recent times, government has secured credit totalling $364 million from multilateral banks such as the World Bank, African Development Bank and Islamic Development Bank to aid the health sector in combating the menace in at least 13 Nigerian states, from 2020 to 2024.
It, therefore, raises concern that the country continues to take the top spot among countries with far from ideal malaria records. Unsurprisingly, the situation has inspired debates and discussions about the approach to better Nigeria’s malaria cases, with promising resolution ideas in addressing inadequate investment emanating from national and global organisations such as National Malaria Elimination Programme, Global Fund, Malaria Consortium, USAID, GAVI, Roll-Back Malaria and many others.
Unfortunately, despite these efforts, funding remains a commonly identified factor delaying the achievement of a malaria-free society. At a time when the world has been forced to divert attention to stemming the impact of COVID-19, funding of the health sector across different states in the country has been daunting, as resources for predominant diseases and ailments are spread thin.
The significance of adequate funding to tackle health challenges in society can not be overstated. In the drive towards reducing the rate of spread of the disease sufficient funding will allow for investment in mosquito nets, insecticides, anti-malaria medication, treatment equipment and more. And this is why the Nigerian government has been hailed for recording an important milestone toward malaria eradication with the launch of the Malaria Eradication Fund in 2021. Already, through this fund, the country has recorded some level of success, but there is more work to be done in terms of funding for Nigeria to become certified malaria-free by 2030.
Interestingly, organisations like the Global Fund are filling the gap in funding and investment towards malaria control around the world and recording a significant impact. Such is the significance of the Global Fund’s contribution that, since the organisation was established in 2002, malaria deaths have dropped by at least 45 per cent in the countries where it invests. Malaria deaths over the same period, in comparison, would have increased by 84 per cent without the organisation’s interventions.
There is also the Global Replenishment Fund conference held every three years, where country and business leaders make new financial commitments to end malaria, AIDS and tuberculosis, with the last conference in 2019 witnessing a record $14 billion in fundraising. To ensure further critical investment in the fight against malaria over the next three years, this year’s conference will be a critical moment in the Global Fund Replenishment history as the world shifts its attention to New York City for the seventh edition.
Expectations from this year’s event are high. And rightly so. It is projected that $18 billion total replenishment would save at least 20 million lives, as well as cut the death rate from HIV, tuberculosis and malaria by 64 per cent. And if this target is to be achieved, low-and middle-income countries like Nigeria would need to rise to the challenge and join countries such as South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal and the Democratic Republic of the Congo who are already forging strategic partnerships with the Global Fund.
This way, the country can have hope of eliminating malaria and building a resilient sustainable system for health across the board to achieve a healthier, more equitable society.
