Dangote, Tony Elumelu, Others Get New FG Appointments (FULL LIST)

Dangote, Femi Otedola, Tony Elumelu and others have bagged new FG appointments. 

Glamtush reports that the Nigerian government has inaugurated the Nigeria End Malaria Council (NEMC), appointing prominent business leaders Aliko Dangote, Femi Otedola, and Tony Elumelu to lead the national initiative aimed at eradicating malaria in Nigeria.

Dr. Tunji Alausa, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, during the inauguration ceremony of Nigeria End Malaria Council (NEMC) in Abuja, highlighted the urgency of the initiative to eradicating malaria, a persistent health challenge in the country.

“Malaria continues to pose a severe challenge in Nigeria, and donor support alone has proven inadequate, he said.

According to a WHO report, malaria remains a critical public health issue in Nigeria, with an estimated 68 million cases and 194,000 deaths reported in 2021.

Nigeria bears the highest burden of malaria globally, accounting for nearly 27% of the world’s cases.

This alarming statistic underscores the urgent need for effective intervention and eradication efforts.

Challenges with current efforts

Speaking on the limitations of current interventions, the minister disclosed that despite the provision of antimalarial medicines and preventive measures like treated nets, these efforts have not sufficiently addressed the scale of the problem. “Nigeria accounts for over a quarter of the world’s malaria cases and approximately a third of malaria-related deaths globally,” Dr. Alausa said.

Malaria remains a leading cause of childhood mortality and is responsible for a substantial number of hospital visits. He noted that no country has ever successfully eliminated malaria through donor support alone, leading to the creation of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) in 2009 and the Malaria Scorecard in 2011 to monitor and advocate for malaria control efforts.