20m Children Covered by Malaria Intervention Programme in Nigeria, Says NGO

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

Amidst current efforts to address Nigeria’s poor health indices, the United Kingdom-based Malaria Consortium (MC), a non- governmental organisation engaged in monitoring and evaluation of malaria intervention projects has said that about 20 million children in the country have benefited from the malaria prevention programmes.

The organization, which operates in Nigeria as Malaria and Public Health Nigeria Limited (MPH-Nigeria) said it also engaged in the provision technical leadership, coordination and harmonisation.

Speaking at a programme to mark the Consortium’s 20 years anniversary in Abuja, the Chief Executive Officer of the organisation, Dr. James Tibenderana, said that MC has so far reached vulnerable population of mainly children and women with prevention and treatment of malaria and other communicable diseases in Nigeria, with 22 states and the Federal Capital Teritory (FCT), covered at different times.

He said that said that despite the persisting poor health indices, Nigeria is making progress in addressing the malaria scourge through the implementation of various Intervention projects.

According to him, the Malaria Consortium has been able to secure funds of $200 million for ongoing projects between 2020 and 2026.

He said the Consortium has also supported the implementation of programmes such as seasonal malaria chemo prevention project in Nigeria in 2013, covering 13 states, with about 20 million children covered for malaria prevention.

While expressing worry over the slow progress recorded in malaria prevention in Nigeria, Tibenderana noted that 97 per cent of country’s population is still threatened by malaria scourge.

He said that in terms of coverage, Nigeria was yet to achieve optimal coverage of the population with anti malaria tools.

He said that presently less than 55 per cent of Nigerians have access to use of mosquito nets.

He said there is a need to intensify the procurement and distribution of mosquito nets as well as other treatment tools that will help eliminate malaria.

In addition, he said that newly developed malaria vaccine will be used along with other tools like mosquito nets, right drugs.

Also speaking on the apparent low progress recorded in the malaria Elimination efforts over the years, the Senior Country Technical Coordinator of the Malaria Consortium in Nigeria, Dr. Olusola Oresanya, said that due to large population and huge resources burden, Nigeria has not to cover sufficient grounds.

For instance, Oresanya said that the country is yet to meet the 10 percent projectec threshold by 2025 in malaria prevalence reduction.

The West and Central African Programmes Director of the Malaria Consortium, Dr. Kolawole Maxwell said that in order to effectively tackle malaria and other communicable diseases going forward, domestic financing is critical for success as well as variety of other opportunities and challenges.

“These are going to require evidence, data, the science around communicable disease control the experience of delivering highly effective programmes,” he said.