MALARIA PREVALENCE DROPS TO 15% AS FG APPROVES SCALE-UP OF PERENNIAL MALARIA CHEMOPREVENTION
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating malaria elimination in Nigeria, with plans to scale up the Perennial Malaria Chemoprevention, (PMC), to protect children under two years in areas with year-round malaria transmission.
The Honourable Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, disclosed this on Wednesday at the PMC Dissemination Meeting in Abuja.
Dr. Salako described the meeting as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s pursuit of innovative, evidence-based and data-driven solutions to malaria elimination.
In a statement signed by Ado Bako, Assistant Director (Press), Dr. Salako said the implementation research provides critical evidence to guide national policy on the adoption of PMC.
He recalled that the study commenced in 2023 following the inclusion of the intervention in the National Malaria Strategic Plan, 2021–2025.
Through the National Malaria Elimination Programme, (NMEP), the Ministry piloted PMC, formerly known as Intermittent Preventive Treatment in Infants, in states not eligible for Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention, (SMC)
“This initiative sought to generate evidence to inform policy adoption for an intervention that would help protect children under 24 months in regions with perennial malaria transmission,” he said.
The Minister explained that the intervention aligns with the World Health Organization’s recommendation for malaria-endemic countries to complement existing measures, including vector control, prompt diagnosis and treatment, surveillance, and preventive interventions.
Highlighting Nigeria’s progress, Dr. Salako said findings from the 2025 Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey showed malaria prevalence had declined significantly from 42% in 2010 to 15% in 2025 and attributed the decline to sustained government interventions and strong partnerships.
He, however, noted that Nigeria still accounts for 24.3% of global malaria cases and 30.3% of malaria-related deaths, underscoring the need to intensify efforts toward eliminating the disease.
Reaffirming President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to stronger public health systems under the Renewed Hope Agenda, Dr. Salako directed the Department of Public Health and NMEP to commence policy processes for the wider introduction of PMC across the country.
He also directed a further assessment of the intervention’s cost-effectiveness to support sustainable implementation.
According to him, the evidence generated would support adoption of the intervention as part of a targeted sub-national strategy, particularly in southern states where malaria transmission occurs throughout the year.
He added that the rollout would advance equity in malaria prevention by extending effective chemoprevention to children in regions that do not benefit from SMC, an intervention that has contributed significantly to reducing under-five mortality in northern Nigeria.
Dr. Salako commended the research teams, describing the findings as highly promising and capable of shaping the next phase of Nigeria’s malaria elimination agenda.
He also appreciated the Gates Foundation, Malaria Consortium, development partners, collaborating Federal Government agencies, state governments and frontline health workers for their contributions.
The Minister urged all stakeholders to translate the evidence generated into concrete actions that would accelerate progress towards a malaria-free Nigeria.He assured that the Ministry would continue implementing the National Malaria Strategic Plan, 2026–2030, strengthen health systems, integrate malaria services, and optimise available resources to improve health outcomes for Nigerians.
