Nigeria Moves Closer to Dedicated Malaria Agency as Nwoko Rallies Support

The Senator representing Delta North, Senator Ned Nwoko, has expressed optimism that the proposed Malaria Eradication Agency Bill will soon become law, describing it as a major step towards eliminating one of Africa’s deadliest diseases.

Speaking with Senate correspondents on Wednesday, Nwoko said the bill, which has already passed through the Senate and is currently before the House of Representatives for concurrence, seeks to establish a dedicated national agency to coordinate malaria prevention, planning and response across Nigeria.

According to the lawmaker, malaria remains a major public health challenge that affects virtually every family and continues to claim the lives of thousands of Nigerians, particularly children and vulnerable populations.

He stressed the need for urgent legislative action to ensure the bill is passed and transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent.

“Once the House concurs and the President signs the bill into law, the agency will be empowered to organise focused and coordinated nationwide efforts aimed at protecting Nigerians from malaria,” Nwoko said.

The senator noted that the fight against malaria requires a deliberate and sustained national strategy, adding that the disease should no longer be accepted as an inevitable part of life in Africa.

Drawing from personal experience, Nwoko said malaria has touched countless families, including his own, underscoring the urgent need for a more aggressive and coordinated response.

He recalled discussions with representatives of the United Nations and cited historical examples from Italy, where coordinated environmental sanitation, effective waste management and public awareness campaigns helped eliminate malaria during the early 20th century.

According to him, the experience demonstrates that malaria eradication is achievable when governments commit resources and implement unified strategies.

Nwoko also compared the proposed malaria campaign to the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, arguing that political will, adequate funding and coordinated action can achieve results that may currently seem unattainable.

He said the establishment of a dedicated agency would provide the institutional framework needed to drive a comprehensive five-to-ten-year eradication plan in Nigeria and potentially across neighbouring African countries.

The senator expressed confidence that with sustained commitment from government, lawmakers, development partners and local communities, malaria cases could be drastically reduced or completely eliminated.

He therefore called on Nigerians to support the initiative and help spread awareness about the proposed solution, assuring that lawmakers would continue to work closely with stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the programme once the bill becomes law.

If passed and signed into law, the Malaria Eradication Agency Bill is expected to create a specialised institution dedicated solely to coordinating Nigeria’s efforts to combat and ultimately eradicate malaria.