As the world marks the World Malaria Day, the House of Representatives on Tuesday called on the Federal government to focus more on domestic financing and local production of anti-malaria drugs in the fight against the disease.
According to the lawmakers, lack of domestic financing, including the lack of use of local content in terms of production and patronage of local manufacturing of Long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and antimalarial drugs are key challenges.
Spokesperson of the house, Hon Benjamin Okezie Kalu, in a statement to commemorate the world malaria day, expressed concerns that the disease remains a significant public health challenge with an estimated 97 million cases and 300,000 deaths annually.
According to the statement, though progress has been made in reducing the burden of the disease, much work still needs to be done to eliminate it.
Kalu said key areas of challenge to addressing the Malaria burden in Nigeria have been issues of donor dependence for malaria intervention in the country.
The statement reads in parts: “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.
“To address this the sum of over $ 300 million has been approved under the World Bank and the Islamic Bank impact projects to address and compliment 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 National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) leadership and slow actions from United Nations Office for Project Services (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 produce 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 after mass 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 House called on the NMEP, UNOPs and the World Bank 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.”
