"Eliminate Malaria!": Nigeria Malaria Elimination Task Force

The Federal Government of Nigeria has established both an advisory board and a ministerial task force focused on eliminating malaria in the country. This initiative was announced in a press statement issued by Tashikalmah Hallah, Senior Adviser on Media and External Relations to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammed Pate.

The creation of these bodies aims to accelerate efforts toward eradicating malaria, a life-threatening disease prevalent across Nigeria. Malaria is caused by parasites transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.

According to the World Health Organization, Nigeria recorded nearly 67 million malaria cases in 2022, representing 27 percent of the global malaria burden. The country also accounted for 31 percent of malaria deaths worldwide, including 38 percent of deaths among children under five.

At the inauguration of the advisory board and task force, Minister Pate highlighted the significant toll malaria takes on Nigerians, including high mortality and morbidity rates, loss of work hours, out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, and the substantial investments the government makes in treatment and prevention.

Pate stressed the need for a shift from traditional approaches to a more proactive and results-driven strategy for combating malaria. He explained that the decision to establish the Advisory Board for Malaria Elimination in Nigeria was the outcome of a roundtable discussion that brought together academics, malaria experts, development partners, private sector representatives, civil society organizations, business leaders, policymakers, and political figures.

The Advisory Board, chaired by Emeritus Professor Rose Leke of the University of Yaoundé, Cameroon, includes prominent figures such as Professor Dyann Wirth from the Harvard School of Public Health, Dr. Soji Adeyi, President of Resilience Health System, Professor Ibrahim Abubakar of University College London, and Professor Peter Piot of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. This board will provide evidence-based advice, regularly review program outcomes, and align efforts with best practices for malaria elimination. The board will meet twice a year and work closely with the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare and the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare.

The Ministerial Task Force, co-chaired by Pate and Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, is composed of stakeholders with extensive knowledge of malaria control efforts within Nigeria. The task force's role is to ensure the implementation of the advisory board's recommendations and to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Health, development partners, donor agencies, and the advisory board as necessary.

The task force aims to reduce malaria incidence and enhance the impact of malaria interventions through coordinated efforts in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and public awareness. Members of the task force include representatives from WHO, Global Fund, Civil Society Organizations, the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, and other key stakeholders. The task force will meet every six to eight weeks, with membership reviewed every two years to ensure optimal results.