Malaria Kills 9 Nigerians Every Hour: A National Health Emergency

Malaria Kills 9 Nigerians Every Hour

The Society for Family Health (SFH) has sounded a national alarm: malaria continues to claim the lives of nine Nigerians every single hour, underscoring the urgency for aggressive public health interventions. Despite being both preventable and treatable, malaria remains the deadliest disease in Nigeria, affecting a staggering 97% of the population.

This stark revelation was made by Sesugh Deborah Oryiman, SFH’s Social and Behavioural Change Specialist, during a media orientation for the Integrated Insecticide-Treated Nets (ITNs) and Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) campaign in Kano State.

According to Oryiman, Nigeria witnesses over 110 million clinically diagnosed malaria cases annually, making it the country with the highest global malaria burden. The disease is responsible for approximately:

• 30% of child deaths

• 11% of maternal deaths

“Two out of every four people with malaria in West Africa live in Nigeria, and one in five global malaria deaths occurs here,” Oryiman warned.

Beyond the health impact, malaria has devastating effects on the Nigerian economy. It is the leading cause of absenteeism from schools, farms, markets, and workplaces. SFH estimates that malaria reduces Nigeria’s GDP by as much as 40% annually, costing the nation billions of naira in treatment, prevention, and lost man-hours.

As part of a renewed effort to combat the disease, SFH has launched an ambitious campaign to:

• Distribute 7.7 million insecticide-treated mosquito nets

• Provide over 15 million doses of SMC treatment (SPAQ) to children aged 3–59 months in Kano State

The campaign targets all 44 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state, prioritizing high-risk communities. The ITNs aim to break the cycle of transmission, especially during the rainy season when mosquito breeding peaks.

The Kano State Malaria Elimination Programme, led by Babangida Gwarzo, has mobilized over 27,000 Community Mobilizers and Distributors (CMDs) for a house-to-house campaign. The initiative seeks to reach more than 3 million children, with caregivers receiving incentive tokens to ensure compliance and access to the mosquito nets.

Gwarzo urged caregivers to prioritize children’s health by ensuring timely administration of the SPAQ drugs, especially during malaria-prone months.

Despite rising incidence rates, malaria prevalence measured by microscopy has decreased from 27% in 2015 to 22% in 2021, according to national health data. Oryiman attributed this progress to improved awareness, targeted interventions, and consistent use of insecticide-treated nets.

Experts stress that eliminating malaria in Nigeria requires sustained funding, grassroots mobilization, and consistent public engagement. Communities must adopt preventive habits, while government and non-government actors scale up innovative solutions.

As Nigeria continues to battle one of its deadliest but most preventable diseases, the SFH and its partners hope this new campaign will save lives, boost productivity, and build healthier futures.