World Malaria Day: FCTA Vows Stronger Malaria Fight

By: Prudence Okonna

As the Nigeria marks 2025 World Malaria Day, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has reaffirmed its commitment to ending malaria through strengthened interventions and improved monitoring systems.

Speaking during a commemorative event at the Asokoro District Hospital, Abuja, the Mandate Secretary, Health Services and Environmental Secretariat (HSES), Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, expressed the Administration’s resolve to scale up efforts in combating the disease, which remains a major public health challenge in Nigeria.

While harping on the theme for WMD 2025, “Malaria Ends With Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite”, Fasawe explained that the FCTA is committed to reinvesting using existing prevention tools, reimagining by innovatively using technology to bring healthcare closer to the people and reigniting energy through a sense of urgency.

Presenting some delivery care kits to pregnant women, she called on pregnant women to follow through with the admonition and preventive measures provided to them during the health education, as children under five years old and pregnant women are most vulnerable to Malaria.

The Mandate Secretary, therefore, emphasized that prevention of Malaria is a collective responsibility; adding that all hands need to be on deck, both residents, healthcare workers and those in the Area Council to ensure a malaria-free FCT and Nigeria.

She reiterated that the FCT Administration, with strong backing from its partners, has rolled out multiple malaria intervention strategies — including free malaria testing and treatment in all health facilities, Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) led by Malaria Consortium, and financial support from the Islamic Development Bank, among others.

Fasawe appreciated the World Health Organisation (WHO), Malaria Consortium, as well as other partners for providing the much-needed support targeted towards eradicating Malaria in the FCT.

Also speaking at the occasion, the FCT State Coordinator for the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr. Kumshida Balami Yakubu, highlighted the organisation’s ongoing support for the FCT’s End Malaria Campaign.

His words: “We’re working hand-in-hand with the FCTA to ensure that more families are protected with insecticide-treated nets, more children receive life-saving malaria vaccines, health centres are better stocked with effective medicines, and communities are actively involved in malaria education and prevention efforts.”

She stressed that these coordinated actions are key to reducing the malaria burden and saving lives across the Territory.

Representing the Country Director, Malaria Consortium, Dr. Jennifer Chukwumerije, said although malaria is preventable and treatable, all stakeholders need to redouble their efforts in line with the theme of the year.

She reassured that through the Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention, which is set to begin in a few months, among other intervention projects, fewer children will come down with malaria.

Abuja Digest reports that a major highlight of the event was the distribution of delivery care kits to pregnant women, insecticide-treated nets, free testing and medicines, free registration of FCT Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS) among other incentives.

Abuja Digest further reports that the World Malaria Reports 2022 shows that Nigeria accounts for about 68 million out of the 263 million cases globally, indicating a 27 per cent of global burden and having the highest number of malaria-related deaths, especially among children under five years old.