By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
Muhammad Ali Pate, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, says the federal government is determined to eliminate malaria and strengthen domestic financing for healthcare to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on external donors.
He stated this while receiving the Board of Trustees of Malaria Consortium on a courtesy visit to the ministry in Abuja.
The delegation visited to congratulate Nigeria on reducing malaria parasite prevalence among children aged six to 59 months from 42 percent in 2010 to 15 percent in 2025, appreciate the government’s partnership with Malaria Consortium, and introduce its new board members.
Prof. Pate described the longstanding collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Health’s National Malaria Elimination Programme and Malaria Consortium as productive, noting that the significant decline in malaria prevalence demonstrates the impact of coordinated interventions.
He said government would intensify efforts through improved diagnostics, quality and affordable malaria medicines, data-driven subnational strategies, seasonal malaria chemoprevention, insecticide-treated bed nets, vaccines where available, and other evidence-based interventions to further reduce the disease burden.
The minister stressed that while Nigeria values the support of development partners, the long-term responsibility for protecting the health of Nigerians rests with federal, state, and local governments.
He said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is increasing investments in the health sector and urged state governments to channel improved revenues into healthcare, adding that stronger domestic financing, resilient health systems, and continued technical collaboration with partners such as Malaria Consortium are essential to achieving sustainable malaria elimination.
