By Muhammad Amaan
The Federal Government Nigeria has established an Advisory Board on Malaria Elimination in Nigeria (AMEN) and the Ministerial Task Force on Malaria Elimination, as part of efforts toward eliminating malaria in Nigeria.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, announced the initiative during the inauguration of the advisory board and task force in Abuja.
In a statement by his spokesman, Mr Tashikalmah Hallah, Professot Pate highlighted the substantial burden malaria places on Nigeria, including high mortality and morbidity rates, lost work hours, and significant financial costs for both individuals and the government.
He emphasized the need for a paradigm shift from the standard approach to a more proactive and result-oriented strategy to combat the disease.
“Despite being preventable and treatable, malaria remains a major challenge for the country”. He stated.
He stressed the importance of involving a diverse group of stakeholders, including academics, malaria program experts, development partners, private sectors, civil societies, business enthusiasts, policymakers, and the political class, to rethink the country’s approaches and strategies.
The Advisory on Malaria Elimination in Nigeria (AMEN) is chaired by Emeritus Professor Rose Leke of the University of Yaoundé, Cameroon. Other notable members include Professor Dyann Wirth from the Harvard School of Public Health, Dr. Soji Adeyi, President of Resilience Health System, Professor Ibrahim Abubakar of University College, London, and Professor Peter Piot from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
“This team will provide evidence-based advisory services and meet regularly to review program evidence, aligning with best practices for malaria elimination,” he added.
The Ministerial Task Force will consist of stakeholders with extensive knowledge of malaria implementation in Nigeria.
“They will ensure that the recommendations from AMEN are carefully analysed and implemented. The task force will collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Health, development partners, donor agencies, and AMEN as needed to reduce malaria incidence and enhance the impact of interventions through coordinated efforts in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and awareness creation,” he added.
The task force is co-chaired by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare and the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, with the Chairman of the Malaria Technical Working Group serving as Vice Chairman.
Members include various key figures from the health sector and partner organizations. The team will convene every six to eight weeks, with memberships reviewed biennially to ensure optimum results.
This comprehensive initiative aims to accelerate progress towards the elimination of malaria in Nigeria, addressing one of the country’s most pressing public health challenges.
