The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has revealed that the government of the United States, through its Presidential Malaria Initiative (PMI) has contributed $914 million to fight malaria in Nigeria since 2011.
This is contained in PMI’s latest report which was obtained by Africa Today News, New York,
It also supported Nigeria with $73 million to fight malaria in 2023 alone, and released by the US Embassy, Abuja, yesterday.
It said the funding cost and programmes covered the delivering of 13.4 million bed nets, six million fast-acting medicines, and 11.8 million malaria rapid diagnostic tests to clinics and communities in Nigeria over the past year.
USAID also disclosed that in 2023, more than 7,200 Nigerian health workers were trained to strengthen their skills in malaria detection, treatment, and how to provide lifesaving care for their communities.
The report quoted USAID Nigeria Deputy Mission Director Sara Werth, as lauding the Federal Ministry of Health for collaborating with the United States government and working to foster robust and effective malaria services in the future.
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“As we reflect on the challenges and triumphs in our collective battle against malaria, let us reaffirm our commitment to a future where no family in Nigeria fears the threat of this disease.
“I urge the government of Nigeria to invest in making malaria programming more efficient and effective using data and other evidence to inform malaria implementation and drive faster results,” Werth said.
Werth had earlier during the country’s 2024 World Malaria Day commemoration, reaffirmed the US government’s unwavering support for Nigeria in the fight against malaria.
Werth had noted that the event was an opportunity to highlight the partnership between the United States and Nigeria to protect people from malaria and support healthy communities.
According to the report, malaria, which is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, occurs regularly and is widespread across Nigeria.
It said the World Health Organisation estimated that Nigeria had nearly 67 million cases in 2022, which accounted for 27 per cent of the global malaria burden.
The PMI said that Nigeria also accounted for 31 per cent of global deaths and 38 percent of global deaths in children under the age of five, in 2022.
It said worldwide, PMI benefited more than 700 million people each year, and had helped save over 10.6 million lives and prevented 1.7 billion malaria infections since 2000.
The report also quoted Dr David Walton, U.S. Global Malaria Coordinator, as lauding the Nigerian government’s support, as well as the efforts of Nigerian health workers, who are always on the front lines to protect their communities from malaria.