Over 180m Nigerians now protected against malaria - USAID

Sara Werth, the Usaid/nigeria deputy mission director, has disclosed that over 180 million Nigerians are now protected from malaria following the successful implementation of the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI).

She said this during the 2024 World Malaria Day press brie ng, which had the theme of ‘Accelerating the Fight Against Malaria for a More Equitable World,’ held in Abuja.

Werth revealed that the PMI procured and distributed 90 million insecticide-treated bed nets, which led to the protection of over 180 million Nigerians from malaria. Additionally, PMI assisted in administering 35 million doses of malaria-preventive treatment, protecting three million children under ve years of age from malaria.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated nearly 67 million cases of malaria in Nigeria, accounting for 27 percent of the global malaria burden in 2022. Moreover, Nigeria accounted for 31 percent of global deaths and 38 percent of global deaths in children under ve years old in 2022.

Werth further disclosed that the PMI has helped save over 10.6 million lives and prevented 1.7 billion malaria infections worldwide since 2000, noting that in Nigeria, malaria deaths decreased from 194,000 in 2021 to 188,480 in 2022.

e prevention of malaria in Nigeria has contributed to the overall global success of the PMI program, she added.

She reiterated that the United States is committed to working with partners to intensify efforts to end malaria.

Werth further urged the Nigerian government to recognize malaria as a priority within the sectorwide approach (SWAP) and its significance to the achievement of the strategic vision for the health sector (2023 — 2026). She also urged the government and private sector to invest in making malaria programming more e cient and e ective using data and other evidence to inform malaria implementation and drive faster results.

Since 2011, she informed that the US government has contributed over USD 914 million, averaging approximately $73 million a year.

Also speaking, the Walter Molumbo, the World Health Organization’s representative in Nigeria, emphasized the urgent need to accelerate efforts in the fight against malaria for a more equitable world.

He stressed the importance of collective commitment to changing the narrative surrounding malaria and advancing progress and equity in combating the disease.

Molumbo also called for expanded access to life-saving interventions, improved health systems, and community engagement in prevention e orts.