Nigeria To Retrain 120,000 Health Workers To Eradicate Malaria
Princess-Ekwi Ajide Abuja
31% of the 619,000 persons who died from malaria in 2022 are in Nigeria, says the World Malaria Report 2022.
The report also said that Africa recorded a total of 599, 000 deaths within the period
In 2023, however, World Health Organization, WHO says Nigeria has made great strides in improving the health of its population
Speaking at the unveiling of the Report on malaria in Nigeria 2022, the WHO Regional Representative, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, said that while Nigeria accounts for around 27% of the global burden of malaria cases, the country has seen major progress hence malaria incidence fell by 26% since 2000 from 413 per 1000 to 302 per 1000 in 2021 while malaria deaths fell by 55%, from 2.1 per 1000 population to 0.9 per 1000 population
She said Nigeria as one of the region’s largest and most economically important countries has a major role to play in tackling disease prevention and control among the population, saying that the Report on malaria in Nigeria 2022 is an excellent model from which to use data to prioritize health interventions.
The regional representative, noted that WHO African Region is confronted by numerous infectious diseases that threaten public health security and the continent’s prosperity and economic development
He said WHO will continue to play a central and connecting role in working with government, the Global Fund, PEPFAR, PMI and other partners in Nigeria, at national and state levels, to optimize investments to reduce the burden of malaria and other diseases in the country.
Responding, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Pate, gave challenges of governance as a major obstacle in the country’s fight against malaria.
Pate said the Ministry plans to retrain approximately 120,000 health workers and update their practice standards as part of their commitment to eradicating malaria and improving healthcare in Nigeria.
He expressed the intention to collaborate with development partners and the private sector to secure the necessary resources to address the issue and noted that the ministry would support the vision of President Bola Tinubu to ensure the health sector is improved.
The report provides critical information on the status of malaria in each of the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria, making it unique in providing data at the State level to guide a truly subnational response to malaria, providing an overview of the malaria situation across all States, focusing on population demographics, malaria interventions, climate, and disease burden.
