Kogi targets Malaria eradication with free testing, treatment, mass net distribution

The Kogi state government has reiterated its commitment to ensures availability of free testing and treatment of malaria across the 21 local governments in its bid to reduce the prevalence of the disease to zero level in the state. The state commissioner for Health, Dr Abdulazeez Adams Adeiza disclosed this in Lokoja on Friday in […]

The Kogi state government has reiterated its commitment to ensures availability of free testing and treatment of malaria across the 21 local governments in its bid to reduce the prevalence of the disease to zero level in the state.

The state commissioner for Health, Dr Abdulazeez Adams Adeiza disclosed this in Lokoja on Friday in his address to commemorate World Malaria Day 2026 in the state, with the theme:”Driven to End Malaria; Now we can, Now we must”.

He said malaria is a disease of Public Health importance which accounts for high morbidity and mortality, particularly among children under the age of five and pregnant women.

Dr Adeiza noted that Nigeria alone accounted for about 24 percent of the global malaria burden , and with 30 percent of global malaria death ,as recorded in 2025 World Malaria Report.

He maintained that the state has made significant progress through strategic investments and unwavering commitment of governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, and strong partnerships with Malaria Consortium, FamkrisHealthcare Initiative and others

Dr Adeiza said : “Malaria prevalence in Kogi State has significantly reduced from 16% in 2021 to 8.9% in 2025 according to National Malaria Indicator Survey.

“This remarkable achievement demonstrates that our strategies are working.We have made significant progress that has reduced the prevalence of the disease ,and now we can do better to more to zero prevalence.

“We appreciate our partners for their support in the health sector. Since 2021, Malaria Consortium, has been implementing Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention using SPAQ across all 21 LGAs.

“Another major intervention in the malaria elimination program is the ISDB LLF Project which is being implemented by FamkrisHealthcare Initiative”.

While commending the technical partners, stakeholders, and the dedicated staff of the State Malaria Elimination Programme, the state government noted that the improvement was achieved by “their resilience, commitment, and teamwork”.

Shedding more light, the project manager, Kogi state Malaria Elimination Programme, Dr Stephen Ade says the improvement was achieved through, “capacity building , awareness creations , community sensitization, data collection, reporting and analysis, waste management, grievance redress mechanisms, and commodity supply chain management”.

According to him , the four years survey of national malaria indicator revealed a significant improvement of its prevalence in the state from 24 percent in 2015 to 16 percent in 2021; achieving 8.9 percent in 2025.

Dr Ade called for support from various organizations, corporates or individuals, donor agencies and others in the area of funding in their attempt to achieve zero prevalence of the disease in the state .

However, the implementing partners, Famkris Health Care Initiatives (FHCI) and Malaria Consortium called for collaborative support to maintain the present status , and achieve envisioned zero level prevalence in the state in 2026.

Among others, the FHCI Kogi state Team lead, Dr Salamatu Yahaya says the organization has been supporting the project via the facilities of the state Primary Health Care and others in provision and application of commodities; capacity building; collating or building , analysing of data for credible, reliable and clean data to reduce the prevalence of the disease in the state .

Also, the state programme manager of Malaria Consortium, Okwulu Andrew Williams who claimed to be supporting malaria elimination in the state since 2021 stated that its prevention lies on the collaborative efforts of all to achieve the desired result .

Meanwhile, the state government maintained that capacity building remains a cornerstone of its success towards malaria elimination in the state, stressing that health workers across all cadres have been trained in malaria case management.

“Health facility mentors have also been engaged to provide continuous supportive supervision, while Ward Development Committees across the 21 LGAs have been empowered to take ownership of malaria interventions at the community”, said Dr Adeiza.