The Coordinating Minister for Health & Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, Tuesday said the annual loss to Nigeria’s GDP from malaria exceeds $1.1billion.
He made this declaration in Abuja at the inaugural meeting of the Advisory on Malaria Elimination in Nigeria.
In a statement issued by the ministry’s deputy director of Information and Public Relations, Alaba Balogun, Prof. Pate said Malaria is not just a health crisis, but an economic and developmental emergency that must be eliminated.
He added that the federal government is resolute in its commitment to eliminate malaria.
“The launch of an advisory body, he pointed out, is therefore a bold and decisive step to confront and address a problem that has undermined the health and economic growth of the country.
Prof. Pate said:”Malaria continues to exert an unacceptable toll on Nigeria with 27% of global malaria cases and 31% of global malaria deaths, our country bears the heaviest burden of this disease. In 2022, over 180,000 Nigerian children under the age of five lost their lives to malaria- a tragedy we have the tools to prevent”.
The minister declared: “This is not just a health crisis; it is an economic and developmental emergency. Malaria reduces productivity, increases out-of-pocket health expenditures and, compounds the challenges of poverty.”
He added that malaria elimination is a critical component of the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII) framework for transforming the health sector, in alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration.
“While acknowledging the urgency of the task as reflected in the National Malaria Strategic Plan 2021-2025 to amongst others reduce malaria prevalence to below 10%, halve malaria- related mortality by 50 deaths per 1,000 live births; he highlighted the importance of traditional and religious leaders to drive grassroots support and influence behaviour change.
Prof. Pate pointed that advocacy approach, will complement in promoting the use of insecticide- treated nets, chemoprevention and vaccines.