The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, on Tuesday said Lagos still records about 900,000 cases of malaria annually..
He disclosed this during the launch of the Malaria Pre-Elimination and Digitization Programme in Lagos State, that the programme is a crucial step towards ending malaria prevalence to below one per cen marking a significant leap towards disease eradication in Lagos.
He said “Lagos is already leading the way with a malaria prevalence of under 3%, far below the national average. With this initiative, we are taking decisive steps to eliminate malaria altogether and ensure that every fever is properly diagnosed and treated using a scientific and digitalized approach.”
“Malaria is not just a health issue; it is a social and economic problem. The cost of treating malaria, combined with the indirect costs of lost productivity, runs into billions of naira annually. A malaria-free Lagos is a stronger, more prosperous Lagos,” he added.
He added that a key pillar of the Pathway to Malaria Pre-Elimination and Digitization Program is the integration of digital health solutions to optimize malaria surveillance and case management.
He assured that the state will deploy real-time electronic malaria reporting systems across public and private health facilities, ensuring swift and accurate data collection, through partnership with Maisha Meds and a digital health platform.
He noted that the new initiative will promote digital diagnostic tools to improve accuracy in malaria testing.
“The new programme mandates compulsory rapid diagnostic testing (RDTs) before any malaria treatment is administered. This initiative will ensure that only confirmed malaria cases receive anti-malarial treatment. It will also reduce the misuse of antibiotics, which is a major driver of drug resistance.”
He said the state will collaborate with the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) and the National Malaria Elimination Programme to a (NMEP) to achieve standardize treatment protocols across all healthcare providers.
