Nigeria is leading globally in malaria cases and deaths, the Minister of health, Osagie Ehanire, has said.
The Minister, who quoted the 2021 World Malaria report, explained that Nigeria contributed about 27 percent cases and deaths globally.
Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday during the commemoration of the World Malaria Day organised by the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Roll Back Malaria partners and other stakeholders, he assured that the government was doing all it could towards reducing mortality attributable to malaria to less than 50 deaths per 1, 000 births by 2025.
According to him, Nigeria was also working hard to achieve a parasite prevalence of less than 10 percent.
He listed the distribution of 24, 675, 236 insecticide-treated bed nets to some States, training of health workers for improved diagnosis and strengthening the malaria surveillance system, among others, as some interventions, in collaboration with other malaria partners in the last 12 months.
Senator Dr Olorunimbe Mamora, the Minister of State for Health, opined that malaria remained a disease of major public health significance in the country, saying that it affected over 98 percent of the population.
