By Mercy Sawok
Abuja, May 5, 2026 (NAN) Prof. Olugbenga Mokuolu, a health expert and Strategic Adviser to the Coordinating Minister of Health on Malaria elimination, has said that innovation and sustained collaboration are key drivers in Nigeria’s efforts to eliminate malaria.
He said the approach is also central to reducing the burden of the disease among vulnerable populations nationwide.
Mokuolu said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja.
The expert, also a consultant pediatrician and senior national malaria programme official, said that guided by policy frameworks and a partnership, Nigeria was positioned to achieve a malaria-free status in the future.
He said the country’s efforts were anchored on the National Malaria Policy and the National Malaria Strategic Plan (2026–2030), which outlined commitments, direction, and actionable strategies for effective implementation nationwide.
According to him, the strategic plan, developed in five-year cycles, captures comprehensive approaches to prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and coordination of malaria interventions across different levels of healthcare delivery systems nationwide.
“Malaria control in Nigeria is not a one-dimensional effort. It involves a combination of preventive, diagnostic, and treatment strategies working together to deliver impact,” he said.
He emphasised that collaboration remained a legal and operational cornerstone of malaria response, involving government institutions, development partners, civil society organisations, and the private sector working together toward shared national goals.
He said that mechanisms such as the national technical malaria working group ensured transparency and alignment, enabling partners to share plans, funding commitments, and areas of intervention effectively across sectors.
“There is also strong intersectoral collaboration involving ministries such as education, environment, and agriculture, as well as agencies like the armed forces and meteorological institutions,” he added.
He further highlighted community engagement, noting that traditional rulers, religious leaders, and grassroots organisations played active roles in promoting awareness, encouraging preventive practices, and strengthening accountability within affected communities nationwide.
On innovation, Mokuolu referenced the rollout of malaria vaccines following approvals by the World Health Organization in 2021 and 2023, marking a significant milestone in global malaria prevention efforts.
He said Nigeria began phased implementation of the vaccine in December 2024, targeting high-burden states including Kebbi and Bayelsa, before expanding to Bauchi and Ondo in early 2026.
He explained that due to limited supply and high costs, vaccines were being deployed strategically, particularly targeting children under two years in areas with the highest malaria transmission rates nationwide.
“The vaccine is not a standalone solution but a complementary tool that is already showing promising results in areas where it has been introduced,” he said.
In addition to vaccines, he identified improved diagnostic tools, including rapid diagnostic tests and microscopy, as essential components of malaria control and effective case management across healthcare facilities nationwide.
He also listed preventive measures such as insecticide-treated nets, indoor residual spraying, larval source management, and seasonal malaria chemoprevention, especially in northern states where transmission remained persistently high annually.
According to him, Nigeria adopts a multi-pronged approach because malaria is complex and requires simultaneous interventions to achieve meaningful reductions in prevalence, transmission rates, and mortality across affected populations nationwide.
On challenges, the official cited limited resources, difficult terrain, and security concerns as major obstacles to delivering malaria interventions effectively at the community level, particularly in hard-to-reach areas nationwide.
He said that in spite of those challenges, careful planning and stakeholder cooperation had enabled the programme to reach many vulnerable populations, improving access to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment services gradually nationwide.
He emphasised that sustained innovation, adequate funding, and stronger collaboration across all levels would remain essential to achieving a malaria-free Nigeria in the coming years through coordinated action.
“Every stakeholder has a role to play. The more coordinated and innovative our approaches, the greater our chances of eliminating malaria,” he said.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Abiemwense Moru
