Minister unveils plan to tackle malaria, antimicrobial resistance in Nigeria

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, has announced new strategies and action plans to combat growing burden of malaria and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Nigeria.

This comes after the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) announced the rollout of vaccines will commence in Kebbi and Bayelsa states on 2 December (Monday).

In a new broadcast on Sunday, Mr Pate noted the planned vaccine rollout supports Nigeria’s goal of reducing malaria mortality among children and it will be extended to other states “as financial resources and supplies become available.”

He added that the elimination of malaria is “not predicated on the mobilisation of this important vaccine alone,” but also about a collaborative effort across all levels of government to implement preventive measures and ensure accessibility to treatment.

He also acknowledged the emerging threat of AMR, including anti-malaria resistance, emphasising that AMR poses a threat to the effectiveness of life-saving medicines.

Malaria burden

Mr Pate cited the 2023 World Malaria Report, noting Nigeria bears the highest percentage of the global malaria burden accounting for 27 per cent of global estimated malaria cases and 31 per cent of estimated deaths due to malaria.

“We accounted for an estimated 55 per cent of malaria cases in West Africa.

“It is in view of this major challenge, the administration has worked closely with international partners, including the vaccine Alliance Gavi, UNICEF, the World Health Organisation (WHO) to receive the first batch of 800,000 doses of the malaria vaccine in October,” he said.

He acknowledged the support from the Global Fund, Gates Foundation, World Bank, USAID, President’s Malaria Initiative, and GAVI Alliance partners, among others.

Plans for malaria elimination

Mr Pate explained that the government is working closely with the Nigerian Governor’s Forum (NGF) to rethink malaria elimination strategies.

He said a key outcome of this collaboration is the establishment of an Independent Advisory Group on Malaria Elimination, which will develop a “pragmatic, cost plan for a malaria elimination which explicitly details the required trade-offs.”

The group recently held its inaugural meeting in Abuja, “marking a significant step towards eliminating malaria in Nigeria.”

“We also decided to intensify our focus on malaria case management, adopting the affordable medicines for malaria venture experiences and domesticating the context of Nigeria, and also included reforms of the NHA to ensure that the supplies are available and affordable.

“We also are pursuing the production of associated methods for the anti-malaria effort, as well as the expansion of primary health care services through our primary health care system,” he said.

The minister also highlighted the importance of retraining Nigeria’s frontline health workforce to enhance community awareness and testing and treatment capabilities.

Strategies to combat AMR

The minister further explained that AMR occurs when microorganisms evolve and become resistant to antimicrobial medicines, which contributed to 4.7 million deaths globally in 2021.

He recently revealed that AMR can be linked to more than 64,000 deaths in Nigeria in 2019, adding that these deaths occurred at a time when only 42.7 per cent of the entire population had access to healthcare.

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To address this challenge, Mr Pate said the government has launched the Second National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance and the National Genomic Surveillance Strategy.

While the genomics surveillance strategy is focused on the way Nigeria detects, monitors, and responds to infectious diseases, the national action plan outlines strategies for improving antimicrobial stewardship, enhancing surveillance and detection capabilities.

The plan adopts a One Health approach, integrating human, animal, and environmental health.

He added that Nigeria has been selected to host the global fifth high-level ministerial meeting on AMR in 2026 Nigeria succeeding the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.