The Federal Government has declared malaria an economic and developmental emergency that must be eliminated.

The Coordinating Minister for Health & Social Welfare Ali Pate, who made the declaration at the inaugural meeting of the Advisory on Malaria Elimination in Nigeria (AMEN) in Abuja, insisted that malaria has grown beyond a health crisis.

Pate added that the launch of an advisory body was a bold and decisive step to confront and address a wicked problem that has undermined the health and economic growth of the country He said:

“Malaria continues to exert an unacceptable toll on Nigeria With 27 per cent of global malaria cases and 31 per cent of global malaria deaths; our country bears the heaviest burden of this disease.

In 2022, over 180,000 Nigerian children under the age of five lost their lives to ma – laria- a tragedy we have the tools to prevent. “This is not just a health crisis; it is an economic and developmental emergency.

Malaria reduces productivity, increases out-of-pocket health expenditures and compounds the challenges of poverty. The annual loss to Nigeria’s GDP from malaria exceeds $1.1 billion, a stark reminder of the economic imperative of elimination.”

A statement by the ministry quoted the minister as saying malaria elimination was a critical component of the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII) framework for transforming the health sector, in alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration.