Adedokun Waliyu 
The Senate has passed a bill seeking the establishment of the National Agency for Malaria Elimination. The proposed agency is intended to coordinate efforts aimed at preventing, controlling, and ultimately eradicating malaria in Nigeria.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko, passed its third reading after the Senate considered and adopted a report presented by the Senate Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary), chaired by Senator Ipalibo Harry Banigo.
According to the committee, the agency will coordinate national malaria elimination programmes and shift the country’s approach from treating malaria cases to focusing on prevention and eradication. It is also expected to establish zonal and state offices to implement its programmes through a framework based on law, science, and accountability.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the bill as a major step in the fight against malaria, noting that the disease remains one of Nigeria’s most common health challenges.
Speaking after the bill’s passage, Senator Nwoko said malaria elimination in Nigeria is achievable. He explained that the proposed agency would employ measures such as effective waste management, environmental fumigation, and vaccine research. He added that the initiative could help Nigeria become the first malaria-free country in Africa.
New Malaria Treatment for Newborns
Last month, the World Health Organization approved a malaria treatment specifically designed for newborns and infants for the first time.
The medicine, Artemether-lumefantrine, is the first antimalarial drug formulated specifically for the youngest victims of malaria. The WHO stated that the medicine meets international standards for quality, safety, and effectiveness.
Previously, infants were treated with malaria medicines developed for older children, increasing the risk of dosage errors, side effects, and toxicity.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that new vaccines, improved diagnostic tests, next-generation mosquito nets, and effective medicines are helping to reduce the burden of malaria. He stressed that ending malaria is now a realistic goal if governments and partners maintain strong political and financial support.
According to the WHO, there were an estimated 282 million malaria cases and 610,000 malaria-related deaths worldwide in 2024. Africa accounted for 95 percent of those cases and deaths, while children under five years old represented about three-quarters of all malaria deaths.
The WHO also noted that progress against malaria continues to face Senate Passes Bill To Establish National Agency For Malaria Elimination
