ABUJA- As part of the drive to eradicate malaria in Nigeria, the Federal Government has enlisted the support of prominent business leaders.
The government said Aliko Dangote, Chairman of Dangote Group, Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings, and Femi Otedola, Chairman of Geregu Power Plc, will lead the charge against the disease.
Dr Tunji Alausa, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, inaugurated the Nigeria End Malaria Council on Friday in Abuja.
Alausa said that the industry heavyweights would collaborate with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), National Assembly joint Health Committees and women’s organisations.
He said that they have been tasked with task of reducing, and potentially eliminating, the malaria scourge in the country.
The minister emphasised the urgency of addressing malaria prevalence in the country, which led to the establishment of the council,
According to him, the disease’s prevalence makes it urgently expedient to explore every option available to address it.
“The Nigeria End Malaria Council was established on Aug. 16, 2017 by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Its primary objectives are to keep malaria high on national and state agendas, and secure strong political commitment from leaders.
“It is also to mobilise resources, particularly from the private sector, to close resource gaps in the national malaria strategic plan,” he said. .
He said that the council had been unable to meet since 2022 due to the change in government and other operational challenges, adding that the Secretariat, however, remained functional.
He said that the country contributes over a quarter of global malaria cases and about a third of the more than 600,000 malaria deaths worldwide, mostly affecting children and pregnant women.
“It is sad to note that malaria contributes about 25 per cent to 30 per cent of childhood mortality and about 60 per cent of hospital attendance.
“Similarly, malaria is a major cause of absenteeism in schools, markets, and workplaces, as well as a significant out-of-pocket expense for most households in the country,” he said.
He also recalled Nigeria’s involvement in the Ministerial Conference on Malaria in Yaoundé, Cameroon, where, alongside 10 other high-burden countries, it signed a Declaration to scale up interventions against malaria.
According to him, this was followed by the “Rethinking Malaria Elimination in Nigeria”.
It was a roundtable which brought together major stakeholders and global players to identify challenges and strategise on eliminating malaria.
Highlighting the enormity of the challenge, he said that Nigeria currently had a population of over 200 million, and the entire population is at risk of malaria.
“This puts a huge challenge on the Government and requires a different approach to tackle the disease,” he said.
He, however, acknowledged that while current interventions like antimalarial medicines and protective measures such as treated nets and insecticides were essential, they remain insufficient.
He pointed out that much of the support for the interventions came from donors, which is neither adequate nor sustainable.
Alausa referenced the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) launched in 2009 and the Malaria Scorecard developed in 2011 to monitor the country’s performance.
He said that no country had ever eliminated malaria through donor support alone.
The minister handed over the leadership of the Council to Dangote, who has served as Nigeria’s Malaria Ambassador as well as a member of the Global End Malaria Council.
He expressed confidence in the newly inaugurated Council.
Outlining the Council’s critical role, he said “The major objective of this body was to contribute to a reduction in the malaria burden and possibly the elimination of malaria in Nigeria.
According to the minister, eliminating malaria will ultimately lead to an improvement in the quality of lives of all Nigerians.
“By reason of your positions in Nigeria, your passion towards health issues, especially malaria, and the interest groups you represent, your membership to this Council is inevitable for the benefit of the larger society,” he said.
The Nigeria End Malaria Council Secretariat, led by its Executive Secretary, Mr Ope Abegunde, was also handed over to the Council, signaling the government’s commitment to making malaria history in Nigeria.
At the inaugural meeting of the Council, Dangote urged the members to tackle malaria head-on.
He acknowledged the members ‘collective strength across government, civil society, religion, and business, and highlighted their unique ability to mobilise resources for the national malaria programme .
He also outlined the council’s primary objectives of ensuring that malaria elimination remained high on Nigeria’s agenda.
He, however, said that it would be possible with strong political commitment from leaders at all levels, and advocacy at both the national and state levels to secure sufficient funding.
Dangote urged the council to be alive to its responsibility of protecting the progress made so far, sustaining it, and ensuring that the country is on an irreversible pathway to ending malaria for good.
“I want to appreciate your acceptance to serve our beloved country in this capacity, and I am glad to join hands with you to reduce the burden and deaths due to malaria in Nigeria,” he said
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the council members will mobilise funds needed to ensure that Malaria is eliminated in the country. (NAN)
