The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has reiterated the US government’s backing for Nigeria in combating malaria and eliminating the deadly disease in the nation. Through funding and initiatives from the US President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), USAID distributed 13.4 million bed nets, 6 million quick-acting medications, and 11.8 million Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests to various clinics and communities in Nigeria within the last year. The US Embassy in Nigeria reported in a statement that over 7,200 healthcare professionals underwent specialized training in 2023 to enhance their abilities in detecting and treating the disease, as well as delivering crucial care to their local populations.
Speaking at the annual World Malaria Day event in Nigeria, Deputy Mission Director Sara Werth emphasized the strong collaboration between the United States and Nigeria in combating the disease and promoting community health. The country faces a significant challenge with the disease, a deadly illness spread by infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, affecting a large portion of its population on a regular basis. In 2022, Nigeria was reported to have a significant impact on the global malaria burden, with approximately 67 million cases, representing 27 percent of the total cases worldwide, as estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO).
PMI has played a crucial role in saving over 10.6m lives.
In 2022, Nigeria was responsible for 31% of all worldwide deaths and 38% of deaths in children under five years old. The U.S. PMI has played a crucial role in saving more than 10.6 million lives and stopping 1.7 billion cases of the disease globally since the year 2000. Since 2011, PMI has joined forces with Nigeria in the fight against the disease, providing a total of $914 million in funding up to now, with an additional $73 million allocated for the year 2023. During her speech at the event, Sara Werth praised the partnership between the Federal Ministry of Health and the US government in enhancing services for the disease for the future.
Werth emphasized the importance of tackling the disease as a collective effort in Nigeria. She called on the government to prioritize investments in data-driven strategies for more effective programs against the disease, ensuring a future free from the fear of this disease for all families in the country. The US Global Malaria Coordinator, Dr. David Walton praised the hard work, commitment, and creativity of individuals on the front lines battling the disease to safeguard their communities. Walton said the United States reaffirms its dedication to collaborating closely with the people of Nigeria in our shared goal of eliminating the disease for good.
ITNs distributed recently have been treated with special ingredients.
Among other initiatives, a total of 2.9 million insecticide-treated nets will soon be handed out to residents living in all 17 Local Government Areas in Plateau State in March 2024, with the aim of reducing the occurrence of the disease within the state. This supplement which was distributed to every household in Plateau State was funded by the UK’s Against Malaria Foundation and backed by the United States Government Resident Malaria Initiative. The Alliance for Malaria Prevention (AMP) reports a major achievement: Over three billion insecticide treated nets (ITNs) have been sent out since 2004 to combat the disease, with a focus on sub-Saharan African nations.
Moreover, the reduction in the disease cases over the past decades is largely attributed to the impact of these particular insecticide treated nets, accounting for approximately two-thirds of the progress recorded. The National Malaria Programmes in the disease endemic countries distributed over 190 million ITNs worldwide in 2022, with the majority, 180 million, distributed in sub-Saharan Africa. In the last few years, a higher percentage of ITNs distributed have been treated with special ingredients to combat insecticide resistance.
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Manufacturers sent out 281.5 million ITNs to countries grappling with the disease in 2022 and 47% of these ITNs were treated with a synergist called pyrethroid-piperonyl butoxide (PBO), while 8% were dual active ingredient ITNs with combined insecticides that work in different ways. Partnerships with national malaria programs have resulted in 68% of households in sub-Saharan Africa having access to mosquito nets. The majority of these nets were purchased with funding from organizations such as The Global Fund, the President’s Malaria Initiative, UNICEF, and the Against Malaria Foundation (AMF).