By Kemi Akintokun

Dr Adedapo Adeogun, a Senior Research Fellow at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), on Friday tasked stakeholders on more funding to tackle malaria through preventive measures.

Adeogun, who works at the Molecular Entomology and Vector Control Unit in NIMR, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that preventive measures were key in malaria elimination, hence the need to invest more in it.

NAN reports that the World Malaria Day is observed every April 25 globally to re-energise efforts at all levels and accelerate progress toward malaria elimination.

The theme for 2025 World Malaria Day is: “Malaria Ends With Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite”.

He said, “We need to treat those that are infected, but we need to also invest a lot of funds in preventing malaria.

“NIMR has been working with the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) and at a point, we looked at the data generated in the last seven years, re-analysed the data and we realised that we have to invest more in preventive malaria.

“We have to demystify malaria completely and bring it down to the community level where everyone will be actively involved to address this disease,” he said.

The expert added that one of the preventive measures put in place by NMEP was the Larval Source Management and Environmental Modification which involved the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources.

“Larval Source Management involves going into the communities to control the vector of malaria and once we can achieve that, the burden of malaria in the country will reduce drastically”.

According to Adeogun, the theme of the 2025 World Malaria Day is a wake-up call for countries including Nigeria, to reinvest and restrategise to close the gap that has been created due to stoppage of funds from the U.S.

“Generally, we know that funds have been pulled out from the United States on so many diseases including malaria.

“There have been lots of gains made, but by pulling out those funds, it means that support for malaria has reduced.

“The different organisations and partners involved with countries are urging them to reinvest in malaria or else, the gains that have been made will be eroded leading to a serious epidemic of the disease.

“For us in Nigeria, we must reimagine malaria and find a way to invest more in preventing malaria rather than treatment,” he said.

On the use of herbal concoctions for malaria treatment, the researcher urged Nigerians to seek proper medical treatment in the hospitals, noting that, herbal concoctions only suppressed malaria for a while.

He commended the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for its recent clamping on fake and falsified medicines which included various fake malaria drugs that were in circulation.

Adeogun advised Nigerians to always keep their environment clean to prevent mosquitoes from breeding. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Nkiru Ifeajuna/Vivian Ihechu