Reps: Lack of domestic finances undermining fight against malaria

The house of representatives says Nigeria’s efforts to eradicate malaria are being undermined by the lack of domestic financing.

In a statement to commemorate World Malaria Day, Benjamin Kalu, the house spokesperson, said while progress has been made in reducing the burden of the disease in the country, malaria has remained a significant public health challenge.

World Malaria Day is marked annually on April 25 and this year’s theme is ‘Time to deliver zero malaria: invest, innovate, implement”.

The house said the key areas of challenge to addressing the disease burden have been issues of donor dependence for malaria intervention in the country.

“Hence, the 9th National Assembly has identified lack of domestic financing and lack of use of local content in terms of production and patronage of local manufacturing of LLINs and antimalarial drugs as a key challenge,” the statement reads.

“To address this, over $ 300 million has been approved under the World Bank and the Islamic Bank IMPACT projects to address and complement donor support.

“However, this effort is at a slow speed in implementation despite the passage of the legislative resolution in December 2021 to access the credit facility, none of the essential commodities has been procured.

“The lukewarm attitude of NMEP leadership and slow actions from UNOPs, the procurement agency for Islamic Bank funding, and the World Bank has affected the urgent procurements of these commodities despite the availability of the funds and commodities locally produced in Nigeria.

“This has given the members of the National Assembly as reported by the chairman AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (ATM) committee of the house, a great concern due to the lack of procurement of these commodities.

“With the onset of the rainy season and its aftermath of flooding leading to a surge in mosquito breeding and increasing malaria morbidity, mortality, and more death of Nigerians, the house calls for immediate action to save more lives.

“In view of the above the NMEP, UNOPs, and the World Bank are urgently called upon to fast-track the procurements of these lifesaving commodities to mitigate the high burden of malaria in Nigeria as reiterated in the 2023 World Malaria Theme.”