SUPPORT TO THE NATIONAL MALARIA PROGRAMME, NIGERIA

A DFID-FUNDED PROJECT 2008-2012

BACKGROUND

1. Nigeria is home to a population of 140 million people. Malaria is highly endemic in Nigeria and its remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the country, with a prevalence rate of 919/100,000/ Malaria accounts for 40% of disease burden reported at the public health facilities. It accounts for 30% of all childhood deaths and is associated wth 11% of maternal deaths. The loss to the economy as a direct result of malaria infections has been estimated as Naira 132 billion ( £530 million). Malaria is both a cause and a consequence of poverty in Nigeria.
2. Nigeria is deeply committed to making progress toward the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and it recognises the fact that, without firm efforts to control malaria, achievement of the targets related to child mortality, maternal mortality, and reducing the burden of communicable disease will not be possible. Malaria therefore constitutes a significant development challenge for Nigeria.
3. Previous efforts to control malaria in Nigeria have not led to a sustained reduction in the burden of mortality and morbidity. In 1998 the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership was launched in Nigeria as a dynamic movement involving all stakeholders affected by or concerned with malaria.
4. Nigeria is a signatory to the Abuja Declaration (2000). The Abuja targets have not been achieved. Latest reports (2006) show that only 11.3% of children under 5 years are able to access currently recommended treatment; only 8.4% of pregnant women and children benefit from ITNs; and 9.4% of pregnant women at risk of malaria have access to presumptive treatment.
5. A review of RBM concluded that coverage levels of key interventions are very low and therefore recommended strengthening of programme management at all levels. This would include design and implementation of a delivery mechanism for interventions covering prevention and treatment, increasing the capacity of the Ministry of Health for strategic planning and monitoring and evaluation, and capacity development of all sectors in Nigeria - public sector, local civil society and commercial sector.
6. This project consists of five years of support to the National Malaria Control Programme with the aim to substantially reducing the huge burden of malaria in the country.

AIM

The aim of the project is to manage a package of support DFID is providing to the Government of Nigeria in support of the national effort to control malaria. The project also aims to strengthen the delivery of Nigeria's National Malaria Control effort through improving capacity at all levels and through provision of commodities for effective prevention and treatment of malaria.

OUTPUTS

The project aims to deliver the following outputs in the supported states in Nigeria:

§ Improved National, State and LGA level capacity for policy development, planning and coordination.
§ Effective harmonisation of all agencies' support for the malaria subsector at federal, state and local levels.
§ Improved population coverage of effective measures for the prevention of malaria.
§ Improved access of the population to effective treatment for malaria.
§ Increased community awareness and demand for effective malaria treatment and prevention.
§ Operational research into key areas of prevention and treatment provides the evidence base for more effective strategies.

ACTIVITIES

The programme will focus on the following areas:

§ Strengthening national and state level capacity to effectively plans, manage and coordinate malaria control.
§ Provision of technical assistance to the FMoH to help develop its capacity in policy development, national planning, operational research and monitoring and evaluation.
§ Capacity development in up to 12 states at the Local Government level to develop and implement plans for effective malaria control.
§ Harmonisation of efforts of donors and funding agencies around agreed national policies and plans for malaria control.
§ Direct support of the delivery of effective malaria prevention and treatment interventions. This direct support will address immediate programmatic needs and will circumvent the many barriers that have been identified which militate against delivery of effective malaria control and management.
§ Identify opportunities that will rapidly increase uptake of effective preventive and treatment measures through both public and private sector health delivery systems.
§ Develop a strategy and implementation plan for monitoring and evaluation in collaboration with the NMCP.
§ Provision of managerial and technical support to the NMCP at the federal level and similar bodies at the State and Local Government levels.
§ Assist the NMCP to develop a Strategy and Plan to strengthen internal and organisational capacity to manage and provide leadership for national effort to control malaria.
§ Review the existing budget arrangements for the NMCP in relation to the needs. Assess the scope/requirements of budget allocations; identifying opportunities for additional donor-funded initiatives to support malaria control and/or the NMCP.
§ Objectively evaluate progress and impact from time to time in collaboration with NMCP and DFID.
§ Active engagement with the Roll Back Malaria Partnership with Government, donors and Global Fund.
§ Collaboration and synergy with other DFID Nigeria programmes.