The Federal Government says Nigeria loses over $1.1 billion in Gross Domestic Product, GDP, annually to malaria.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, made this revelation in a statement by the Ministry’s Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations, Alaba Balogun on Tuesday in Abuja.
According to the statement, Pate made the disclosure at the inaugural meeting of the Advisory on Malaria Elimination in Nigeria, AMEN, describing malaria as a pressing economic and developmental emergency, underscoring the need for its elimination.
“Nigeria accounts for 27 per cent of global malaria cases and 31 per cent of global malaria deaths.
“In 2022 alone, over 180,000 Nigerian children under the age of five lost their lives to malaria. This is not just a health crisis; it is an economic and developmental emergency.
“Malaria reduces productivity, increases out-of-pocket health expenditures, and compounds the challenges of poverty,” he said.
He explained that the introduction of the malaria vaccine, now available in Nigeria, offered renewed hope in the fight against the disease.
According to him, the launch of AMEN marked a bold step toward tackling the scourge, aligning with the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the administration’s renewed hope agenda.
The minister emphasized the significance of involving traditional and religious leaders in driving grassroots support and behavioural change, complementing AMEN’s advocacy for the use of insecticide-treated nets, chemoprevention, and vaccines.
On his part, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, stressed the critical role of the advisory council in guiding Nigeria toward a malaria-free future.
“The group of experts will provide evidence-based advisory to help the country reduce its unacceptable malaria burden.
“For us to succeed, the private sector, international partners, healthcare workers, and the communities we serve must be harnessed and coordinated,” he said.