Health researchers have raised serious concerns that Nigeria may fail to meet the 2030 malaria elimination target due to the government’s failure to sustain key preventive measures, such as the distribution of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) to vulnerable populations.
This warning comes despite earlier successes in combating malaria, driven by policies like Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT) and widespread ITN distribution in the mid-2000s.
Nigeria currently bears the highest burden of malaria in the world, accounting for nearly 27% of global cases. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the country records an estimated 68 million malaria cases annually, resulting in around 194,000 deaths.
Over two-thirds of Nigerians live in areas highly prone to malaria transmission, primarily due to mosquito species such as Anopheles gambiae, Anopheles arabiensis, and Anopheles funestus.
Speaking at a regional meeting of the Emerging Genomics Selection and Antimalarial Tolerance in Africa (EGSAT) consortium in Lagos, researchers emphasized that the discontinuation of ITN distribution is a major setback in the fight against malaria.
Dr. Oluwagbenga Aina, a Deputy Director at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research’s Biochemistry Department, expressed doubt about Nigeria’s ability to meet the 2030 target. “I don’t think we can meet that 2030 target. Nigeria right now, we are in control level. We’ve not got into pre-elimination, talk less of eradication,” he stated.
Dr. Aina highlighted that the resurgence of malaria cases in Nigeria is largely due to the decline in preventive measures that were effective in the early 2000s. “The burden of malaria has gone up compared to 2001, 2002, because all these interventions they put in have gone down. They are no more doing it,” he noted. He stressed the need to revive these interventions, including the distribution of ITNs and environmental spraying, to reduce the malaria burden.
The importance of ITNs in reducing malaria cases globally has been well-documented. WHO reports that ITNs have significantly contributed to the decline in malaria cases from 2005 to 2015, particularly in areas with moderate-to-high transmission. However, progress has slowed since 2015, and the lack of continued ITN distribution in Nigeria is seen as a critical factor in the resurgence of the disease.
Dr. Aina also pointed out that the once-free distribution of ACT in public hospitals has diminished, making it harder for people to access essential malaria treatment. “In those days when you go to the hospital, you’ll be given a free ACT. But now, I don’t think they have free ACT any longer because they are not supplying them,” he said. He argued that restoring free ACT distribution, along with other preventive measures, would significantly reduce the malaria burden in Nigeria.
Professor Alfred Ngwa, the lead principal investigator for EGSAT, echoed the need for a comprehensive approach to malaria control. He called for increased funding, surveillance, and monitoring to track the spread of drug-resistant parasites. “Malaria control efforts must not only focus on treatment but also prevention strategies, such as the use of insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying, to reduce transmission and mosquito populations,” he emphasized.
Professor Ngwa stressed the importance of coordinated efforts across countries, sustained funding, and robust public health strategies to combat malaria effectively. He urged the Nigerian government to prioritize the distribution of ITNs and other interventions to achieve the 2030 elimination target.
Dr. Ajibayi Olusola, a molecular biologist and immunogenomics expert at NIMR, also highlighted the persistent and year-round malaria transmission in Nigeria, particularly in the southwestern region. He underscored the need for effective control measures that address this continuous transmission, emphasizing the importance of the EGSAT project in testing the efficacy of new antimalarial drugs tailored to the Nigerian context.
The EGSAT project’s findings are expected to play a crucial role in shaping malaria control policies and interventions in Nigeria. Researchers hope that these outcomes will significantly contribute to reducing malaria cases and improving treatment strategies, moving the country closer to the goal of malaria elimination. However, without renewed commitment to preventive measures, experts warn that Nigeria may fall short of the 2030 target, leaving millions at risk of this deadly disease.