Malaria control in Nigeria

National Malaria Elimination Programme

SuNMaP worked with the Nigerian government's National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) to harmonise donor efforts and funding agencies around agreed national policies and plans for malaria control and elimination.

SuNMaP has improved national, state and local government level capacity for policy development, planning and coordination, in addition to working with those agencies to improve population coverage of effective measures for the prevention of malaria and access of the population to effective treatment for malaria.

The programme’s work was set within the context of current NMEP objectives and targets. The main goal of the NMEP is to reduce the malaria burden to pre-elimination levels and bring malaria-related mortality to zero. The programme worked with the NMEP towards the achievement of its vision of a malaria-free Nigeria and in tandem with its mission to ’provide equitable, comprehensive, cost effective, efficient and quality malaria control services ensuring transparency, accountability, client satisfaction, community ownership and partnership.’

The major national targets as outlined in the National Malaria Strategic Plan (NMSP) 2014-2020 are as follows:

• At least 80 percent of targeted populations utilise appropriate preventive measures by 2020.
• To ensure that all persons with suspected malaria who seek care are tested with RDTs or microscopy by 2020.
• All persons with malaria seen in private, public health facilities or community agents receive prompt treatment with an effective anti-malarial drug by 2020
• At least 80 percent of the population practice appropriate malaria prevention and management by 2020
• Put in place a system for timely availability of appropriate antimalarial medicines and commodities required for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of malaria in Nigeria by 2018
• At least 80 percent of health facilities in all LGAs report routinely on malaria by 2020, progress is measured, and evidence is used for programme improvement
• To strengthen governance and coordination of all stakeholders for effective programme implementation towards an ‘A’ rating by 2017 that is sustained through to 2020 on a standardised scorecard

Learn more about the NMEP by visiting its website here.