The World Health Organisation and other stakeholders have urged the Federal Government to reduce dependence on external funding and increase data availability for malaria elimination in the country.
The call was made at a stakeholders’ engagement in Abuja, on “Rethinking Malaria Elimination”, an initiative to help redefine strategies in the fight against malaria in the country.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, said the organisation is behind Nigeria’s ambitious plan to accelerate progress towards malaria elimination.
Moeti urged the government to increase data availability and access for both government agencies at the national and sub-national levels and for public use.
The World Health Organisation estimates that Nigeria had nearly 67 million cases in 2022 accounting for 27 per cent of the global malaria burden.0.00 / 0.00
Also in 2022, Nigeria accounted for 31 per cent of global deaths and 38 per cent of global deaths in children under the age of five.