Lagos records sharp decline in malaria cases – FG

FILE: The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate.

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The Federal Government on Sunday said malaria transmission is declining sharply in Lagos State, citing sustained investments in prevention, testing and treatment as evidence that malaria elimination is achievable in Nigeria.

Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, disclosed this when he featured in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

Addressing the country’s malaria control strategy, Pate described Lagos as a standout example of how coordinated interventions can dramatically reduce disease burden.

“In the armamentarium that we have for fighting malaria, there are things like bed nets, which are very cheap and effective in repelling mosquitoes. There’s seasonal chemoprophylaxis, which children have, and there’s case management, which Lagos, for instance, is in the pre-elimination stage,” Pate said.

He said the state’s progress marked a sharp turnaround from previous years, attributing the gains to aggressive case management, routine testing and environmental control measures that limit mosquito breeding.

“You may not believe it, but Lagos has a less than 5 per cent positivity rate compared to 90 per cent in the past. That is an amazing success. Kudos to the government of Lagos State and the commissioner.

“It shows what is possible by expanding case management, testing, and also dealing with the circumstances that will allow mosquitoes to grow,” he added.

The minister explained that beyond treated bed nets and preventive medicines for children, the government is expanding its toolbox to include mosquito-control measures targeting breeding sites.

“In the Council on Health that we held in Calabar, we passed a resolution to include larvicide as a tool to reduce the larvae for mosquitoes to grow. So there are many tools in our fight to deal with malaria,” he said.

Pate also revealed that Nigeria’s malaria elimination efforts have drawn international attention, with experts acknowledging the country’s progress despite its heavy disease burden.

“Just this Friday, the advisory group on malaria elimination in Nigeria came, and we had extensive engagement with them. They looked at our strategy as well as progress, and they commended this government for the effort being put into addressing malaria, which is putting it way ahead of other countries in our region,” he said.

However, the minister cautioned that major challenges remain, warning that demographic and environmental changes could complicate control efforts if not addressed proactively.

“But it is still there. We are facing a few challenges. Let me tell you one. Population growth is continuing. We are dealing with malaria, but we are also continuing to increase in terms of numbers, which is good. At least, that is a reality,” he said.

He added that climate change and shifting rainfall patterns could expand malaria transmission beyond traditional seasonal cycles.

“Secondly, because of changes in climate and the patterns of rainfall, it becomes possible that areas that may not have seasonality may become really pan-seasonal in terms of malaria. Other malaria vectors might come into the area. We don’t have much evidence of that, though,” Pate noted.

The minister also raised concerns about drug and insecticide resistance, blaming poor medicine use and weak regulation for the growing threat.

Pate’s optimism about Nigeria’s malaria elimination drive contrasts sharply with recent global data that underscore the country’s enormous malaria burden.

A few hours earlier, PUNCH Online reported that Nigeria recorded the highest number of malaria cases and deaths worldwide, with an estimated 68,466,000 cases, according to the 2025 World Malaria Report.

The report, obtained from the World Health Organisation on Friday and based on 2024 data, showed that about 282 million malaria cases were recorded globally across 80 endemic countries, accounting for 58 per cent of the year-on-year increase.

Nigeria alone accounted for about 30.3 per cent of all malaria deaths globally.

With worldwide malaria deaths estimated at 610,000, Nigeria’s share translates to roughly 184,800 deaths in 2024 — the highest malaria mortality burden in the world. manufacturing good-quality medicines and making them affordable.

The PUNCH journalist, Adebayo, has over 20 years of experience covering politics, health, metro, entertainment and properties

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