In a renewed push to eliminate one of Nigeria’s deadliest diseases, leading health professionals, researchers, and policy advocates gathered at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) this week to forge a united front against malaria.
The high-level forum, organized in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health, NGOs, and international development partners, aimed to foster collaboration across sectors and drive innovation in malaria prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
Held in conjunction with World Malaria Day, the event drew participants from across the country and beyond, all emphasizing the urgent need to accelerate Nigeria’s malaria response particularly as the country remains one of the highest-burdened nations globally.
“Malaria continues to kill thousands of Nigerians every year, despite being entirely preventable and treatable,” said Dr. Aisha Balogun, a leading epidemiologist and keynote speaker at the event. “It is no longer a question of knowledge or tools, but of political will, funding, and coordination.”
Discussions at the summit focused on scaling up access to insecticide-treated bed nets, improving rapid diagnostic testing, investing in vaccine deployment, and strengthening public awareness campaigns. The role of academic institutions like UNILAG in driving research and training future health leaders was also highlighted.
UNILAG Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, reaffirmed the university’s commitment to public health innovation, calling the fight against malaria “a moral and national obligation.”
“Universities must not operate in isolation,” she said. “We are at the heart of the solution—through research, education, and community engagement.”
Representatives from the World Health Organization and the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative praised Nigeria’s efforts but urged faster implementation of national strategic plans. New data presented at the conference showed a slight reduction in malaria-related deaths, but experts warned that progress could stall without sustained investment.
As Nigeria aims to achieve a malaria-free status by 2030, stakeholders left the UNILAG gathering with a unified message: malaria elimination is possible but only if every sector, from government to grassroots, pulls together.
source: allafrica.com
