Salako Says US Policy Change on Global Health Funding Will not Affect Nigeria’s Public Health initiatives As Lagos Launches Malaria Pre-Elimination, Digitization Program
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, has assured Nigerians that the changes in the policy of the United State Government with respect to global health funding will not adversely affect Nigeria’s malaria elimination programme and other public health initiatives as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR has approved a robust mechanism to ensure adequate and cost effective funding. Salako made this known on Tuesday March 4, 2025, at Eko Hotel and Suites as Lagos State launched the Malaria Pre-Elimination and Digitization Program, setting in motion the last mile hurdle clearance to reach malaria elimination stage in the state.
The Minister who recalled that Lagos State pioneered intense malaria case management in the early 2000 through the Eko Free Malaria then under the leadership of the then Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu who is now the President, mentioned his involvement as a young medical officer in the program which set the template for intense malaria case management and the low prevalence of the disease in the State. He said Lagos State being the most populous State in the country and the state with the lowest malaria prevalence in Nigeria is central to the agenda to eliminate malaria from Nigeria by 2030.
“I want to emphasize that this project is in line with the renewed vigor of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare’s ‘Rethinking Malaria’ concept that was launched in April 2024 and aimed at fast tracking the malaria elimination goal through strategic shifts. We have continued to make progress in that regard with the inauguration of the Advisory on Malaria Elimination in Nigeria (AMEN), the development of a pragmatic costed plan of action, expansion of primary care facilities, training of frontline health workers, initiation of domesticated Affordable Medicine Facility- Malaria (AMFm) to make malaria treatment more affordable and attainment of WHO pre-qualification for some antimalarial to promote local manufacturing”, Salako noted.
He said the Federal Ministry of Health is taking these steps in order to reverse the undesirable trend of being the highest burdened malaria endemic country globally accounting for 27% and 31% of cases and deaths respectively.
“I am confident that Lagos State possesses the needed attributes that can help drive Nigeria to malaria elimination through such pace setting initiatives like this programme. Furthermore, Lagos has consistently been the lowest malaria prevalence state in Nigeria as evident from all the Malaria Indicator Surveys conducted in the country with the most recent result of 2021 showing 2% prevalence, hence indicating a tendency of attaining pre-elimination when concerted and consolidated efforts are put in place.”
He expressed his happiness that the project is focusing on the private sector because in Nigeria, about 50-60% of patients seek treatment first in the private health sector making it a critical component of the healthcare system. He added that this translates into over a 100 million people who are price sensitive and pay out of pocket relying on the private sector for health care.
“It is pertinent to note that in Lagos State, there is a discrepancy in malaria positivity rates within different sectors of the healthcare system as shown by most of the private sector malaria Case Management intervention which has consistently recorded positivity rates of less than 1% among its network of private pharmacies, clinics and hospitals in Lagos State. This stark contrast with the higher state-reported positivity rates raises critical questions about the efficacy of malaria management practices and reporting standards across different healthcare sectors. The persistence of this challenge underscores the need for innovative and effective solutions to combat malaria and improve overall healthcare outcomes in the region.
“I wish to report that this challenge has necessitated the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) to collaborate with World Health Organization and Maisha Meds Foundation to complement the Lagos State Government’s effort through the World Bank IMPACT project in order to achieve malaria elimination through the strategic approaches of Public-Private Sector Synergy, leveraging digital solutions, enhancing diagnostic accuracy and addressing malaria-negative fever protocols for managing non-malarial fevers”.
The Minister commended and appreciated the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the health team led by Professor Akin Abayomi for initiating and executing such a laudable innovative project. He also appreciated all the partners and implementers especially the World Bank and WHO for providing the needed human resources, technical support and funding for the implementation of the initiative.
