Health
Tunji Alausa Seeks ‘Well-informed Perspectives’ To Accelerate Malaria Elimination In Nigeria
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Malaria is a predominant health issue across Nigeria and many African countries.
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The administration of President Bola Tinubu has taken renewed interest in malaria elimination.
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It is holding a roundtable discussion featuring experts to introduce new malaria elimination strategies.
Eko Hot Blog reports that that Nigeria’s Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has called for “invaluable and well-informed perspectives” on accelerating malaria elimination in the country.
The minister made the call on Friday in his opening remarks at the “Re-thinking Malaria Elimination In Nigeria” ministerial roundtable discussion, which is holding at the Abuja Continental Hotel, Abuja.
EDITOR’S PICKS
Recall that he was one of the health ministers of High-Burden, High-Impact countries who signed a commitment in Yaoundé, Cameroon, in March 2024, to end malaria deaths in their communities by 2030.
Speaking on Friday, Dr. Alausa noted that malaria contributes about 25 – 30% to childhood mortality in Nigeria.
He lamented that the disease has persisted in the country despite various efforts to eliminate it.
However, the minister promised that the President Bola Tinubu administration has renewed its commitment to scaling up all interventions that added value in the past.
He stated that the roundtable discussion, which featured experts across the globe and development partners, was aimed at reviewing past and current strategies and approaches, fine-tuning some tools, and introducing new ones for a better outcome.
THE ADMINISTRATION’S NEW MALARIA ELIMINATION STRATEGY
“It is gratifying to note that this fits perfectly into President Bola Tinubu’s agenda of redefining health care delivery in Nigeria and our desire to provide qualitative health care to the people of Nigeria,” Dr. Alausa said.
“We are not unaware that malaria is a moving target.
“As a people, we are determined to put in place an enabling environment and structures for our development partners in service delivery and any other support that you may require from the Government of Nigeria to help combat the menace of this disease that has lingered for so long.
“About a month ago, a Ministerial Conference was held in Yaoundé, Cameroon, for the High-Burden, High-Impact countries.
“Nigeria participated in the meeting and committed to supporting all processes/interventions that will facilitate the elimination of malaria in Nigeria and its neighbouring countries.
“In this renewed commitment, we are determined to scale up all interventions that added value in the past.
“We would bring on board new interventions that will facilitate malaria elimination in Nigeria.
FURTHER READING
“To this end, I call for your invaluable and well-informed perspectives on accelerating malaria elimination in the country.”
READ DR. ALAUSA’S FULL REMARKS BELOW:
PROTOCOL
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to this auspicious forum, which aims to draw global attention to the lingering burdens of malaria in Nigeria and encourage necessary actions to check the scourge.
2. Later part of last year, President Tinubu announced that the strategic blueprint anchored around Nigeria’s progress in Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is geared towards saving lives, reducing both physical and financial pain, improving population health outcomes, accountability, maternal and childbirth, governance, affordable and quality health services for all Nigerians. Against this backdrop, this meeting is organized to re-think malaria elimination in Nigeria.
3. About 60% of all hospital attendance in Nigeria is malaria, and the disease contributes about 25 – 30% to childhood mortality. There is hardly any aspect of our daily lives that is not affected by malaria, which has a consequential effect on our productivity. The disease has indeed remained a foremost public health challenge.
Nigeria has witnessed some reduction in the prevalence of malaria since the introduction of some interventions such as the use of long-lasting insecticidal Nets, the use of Artemisinin-based Combination Treatments for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria, as well as the introduction of chemo-preventive therapies for pregnant women and children below the age of 5 years.
It is, however, disheartening that despite all these efforts, malaria remains a considerable burden in the country, affecting all age groups as well as unborn babies.
4. The performance appraisal of the National Strategic Plan 2014 – 2020 showed a modest drop in parasite prevalence from 27% in 2015 to 22% in 2020.
The Midterm Review of the National Malaria Strategic Plan 2021 – 2025 conducted in 2023 similarly showed an unimpressive performance and a clear demonstration that continuing in the same business-as-usual mode may never give us the desired results.
Therefore, this roundtable discussion, with the participation of experts across the globe and our development partners, is crucial. We must review our past and current strategies and approaches, fine-tune some tools, and introduce new ones for a better outcome.
5. It is gratifying to note that this fits perfectly into President Bola Tinubu’s agenda of redefining health care delivery in Nigeria and our desire to provide qualitative health care to the people of Nigeria.
We are not unaware that malaria is a moving target. As a people, we are determined to put in place an enabling environment and structures for our development partners in service delivery and any other support that you may require from the Government of Nigeria to help combat the menace of this disease that has lingered for so long.
6. About a month ago, a Ministerial Conference was held in Yaoundé, Cameroon, for the High-Burden, High-Impact countries. Nigeria participated in the meeting and committed to supporting all processes/interventions that will facilitate the elimination of malaria in Nigeria and its neighbouring countries.
7. In this renewed commitment, we are determined to scale up all interventions that added value in the past. We would bring on board new interventions that will facilitate malaria elimination in Nigeria. To this end, I call for your invaluable and well-informed perspectives on accelerating malaria elimination in the country.
8. It gives me great joy to state and acknowledge that the robust RBM partnership that still exists after so many years is growing more robust and making a tremendous impact in the fight against malaria in Nigeria.
Many partners (from within and outside the country) have immensely and remarkably supported the ministry, and this support is deeply appreciated.
We are committed to sustaining this collaboration, through which significant resources have been expended, and numerous activities aimed at controlling malaria in Nigeria have been undertaken. It is time to change the narrative about malaria in Nigeria and, by extension, our world.
9. On behalf of the coordinating minister and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, I sincerely thank you for responding to our calls, even on short notice. Your continued support and involvement are crucial, and we are forever grateful for your commitment to this cause.
10. Thank you.
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