Yenagoa, 4 months in the past, city criers and media in Bayelsa State, notified caregivers of the launch of the malaria vaccination marketing campaign for youngsters beneath 5-11 months.
The Ministry of Well being’s message by the Nigeria Major Well being Care Centre, World Well being Group (WHO), Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF, and companions was clear: households with eligible kids ought to take their younger ones to well being centres to bevaccinated in opposition to the lethal illness, malaria.
Sherifat Omoniyi, a mom of two, was thrilled that considered one of her kids was eligible. She shared, “After I heard the information, I took my nine-month-old son to the clinic for the vaccine. Since he acquired it, he hasn’t been sick. “
Mrs Omoniyi defined that regardless of her youngster receiving the vaccine, she ensures that her family nonetheless takes precautionary measures to maintain malaria at bay as a result of, throughout the marketing campaign, the informants reiterated that even with the vaccine, the complete family nonetheless wants to make sure using different preventive measures to maintain malaria at bay.
She mentioned, “We nonetheless sleep beneath the insecticide-treated nets, and guarantee we don’t go away our water storage locations open. This has considerably decreased the frequency at which my family comes down with fever. We now spend much less on malaria therapy”
A matter of urgency
Nigeria nonetheless faces a regarding malaria burden. Statistics from the 2024 World Malaria Report (WMR) reveal that the nation accounts for 27% of the worldwide malaria burden, with 31% of world malaria deaths.
The WHO International Technical Technique for Malaria 2016-2030 units a imaginative and prescient for a malaria-free world by 2030, with particular targets for lowering malaria incidence and mortality and eliminating the illness in at the least 35 nations.
The Nigerian authorities has carried out varied methods such promotion of ongoing use of insecticide-treated nets, seasonal malaria chemoprevention remedy for youngsters beneath 5, preventive take care of pregnant ladies, indoor residual spraying, efficient case administration, and improved sanitation to scale back mosquito breeding websites within the communities.
Just lately, the nation commenced a phased rollout of the WHO-recommended (R21) malaria vaccine, focusing on kids in areas with the very best malaria burden—Bayelsa and Kebbi—to speed up efforts to scale back malaria amongst kids. Greater than 140,000 doses have been administered to eligible kids from a million doses acquired from the Nigerian Authorities and Gavi.
Collective motion
Just lately, throughout the commemoration of 2025 World Malaria Day, the Minister of State for Well being and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, addressed journalists and malaria stakeholders, stating that eliminating malaria is a high authorities precedence, strongly supported by President Tinubu.
Dr Salako appreciated well being staff and companions and careworn that reaching a malaria-free Nigeria requires ongoing, united motion together with tailor-made actions equivalent to handled nets, preventative medicines for youngsters, larval administration, and a phased rollout of the malaria vaccine.
“The federal government ensures constant malaria therapy, addresses funding challenges, enhances well being programs with improved information, collaborates with the non-public sector for assets, and encourages preventative measures,” he added.
The minister additional inspired all stakeholders to remain dedicated to preventing malaria, noting that it requires multisectoral, multi-ministerial, inter-organisational, and neighborhood effort.
Pathway to success
With the progressive methods adopted, the nation is on the pathway to eradicating malaria by 2030, mentioned Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, WHO Nation Consultant in Nigeria.
Dr Mulombo famous that the 20225 World Malaria Day, noticed beneath the theme “Malaria Ends with Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite”, is a rallying revitalised efforts in any respect ranges, from international coverage to neighborhood motion, to resume dedication, rethink methods and speed up progress in direction of malaria elimination.
“This 12 months’s theme reminds us that everybody has a job to play. Lowering malaria by 90% by 2030 may enhance the nation’s GDP.
Nevertheless, we’re at a crossroads. Local weather change, humanitarian crises, resistance to medication and pesticides, and funding gaps are difficult our beneficial properties. However malaria elimination is inside attain with sturdy management, innovation, and sustained funding,” he mentioned.