**•_Disease has robbed Lagos of productivity, resources — Sanwo-Olu_•_State remains lowest burdened in malaria epidemic_
Lagos State has transited to the most important stage in its rollback strategy against malaria — a killer disease that records 200,000 fatalities annually in Nigeria.
The State became the first sub-national in the country to launch the Pathway to Malaria Pre-Elimination and Digitisation Programme — an initiative aimed at reducing the malaria burden through digital innovation and strengthened public-private sector collaboration. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu launched the tech-driven health initiative being supported by the World Bank, World Health Organization (WHO), Maisha Meds and other multilateral partners.
The project would move Lagos towards malaria pre-elimination by enhancing diagnostic accuracy, improving case management and linking patients to social health insurance schemes.
Lagos became the first state to transition to the digitised system of malaria prevention, as the World Bank-funded Immunization Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services (IMPACT) draws to an end by December 2025.
Nigeria is said to have the highest malaria burden in the world, accounting for 27 per cent of the global cases and 200,000 deaths annually, with most of the fatalities reported among children. Lagos remains the lowest malaria burden, despite its population.
The State currently has 2.6 per cent burden, falling within the low transmission bracket among the 28 sub nationals where the IMPACT project is being undertaken. In spite of this progress, Lagos still records 900,000 cases annually, needing more strategic response from the State to sustain its rollback.
Sanwo-Olu, while unveiling the programme, described malaria as a “socio-economic burden” that drained families’ household income, while robbing communities of productivity. For the State, the Governor said the programme represented hope rooted in innovation, collaboration and determination, stressing that the success of the project would help Lagos reclaim billions lost annually to the disease.
He said: “For many households with modest incomes in Lagos, malaria treatment can consume up to three per cent of monthly earnings. This financial strain often forces families to make heartbreaking choices between healthcare and other basic needs like food or education.
The economic impact extends beyond households, with businesses suffering absenteeism, schools recording lower attendance and our healthcare system bearing the weight of preventable cases. “Malaria is more than a disease; it is a socio-economic burden that has held back individuals, families, and communities for far too long. It robs us of our productivity and drains household incomes.
Today, we are changing this narrative by leveraging digital tools that will ensure that malaria cases are tracked in real time. This programme represents hope rooted in innovation, collaboration and determination. The eradication of malaria is not just a health goal; it is an economic imperative.” Sanwo-Olu said the benefits of eradicating malaria in the State would go beyond health success, noting that a malaria-free Lagos would not only raise productivity and enhance quality of life, it would also bring about better education outcomes. The Governor said the objectives were ambitious but achievable.
The efforts, he said, required government agencies, healthcare providers, community leaders, development partners, and residents to work together. He said tracking must be done on monthly basis to ensure consistent monitoring of the progress “This vision is ambitious but achievable.
It requires all stakeholders to work together with unwavering resolve. Success will not come overnight, but with sustained effort and collective action, we will prevail. This effort reaffirms our commitment to safeguarding the lives and livelihoods of every Lagosian,” Sanwo-Olu said. Minister of State for Health, Dr. Isiak Salako, observed that Lagos had the most comprehensive implementation strategy to roll back malaria, noting that the State had shown the tendency to achieve total elimination.
He said the Federal Government had supported efforts by sub nationals, taking steps to reverse the trend of malaria epidemic. He assured that the change made by the United States government in funding global health care would not adversely impact the progress recorded by Nigeria to rid the country of malaria. Lagos Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said Lagos, over the last 15 years, had been winning the war against malaria due to improved diagnosis, immunisation and effective treatments.
“Due to intense programmatic work, malaria prevalence in Lagos has declined from 15 per cent in 2010 to 10 per cent in 2015 and now 2.6 per cent in 2025. These efforts have made Lagos fall into the low transmission category.
“Despite this, malaria remains a major public health issue in Lagos with around 900,000 cases recorded per annum. Over 50 per cent of outpatient visits in public health facilities are due to febrile illnesses presumed to be malaria.” Stressing on the strategy being implemented by the State Government to drive malaria pre-elimination, Prof. Abayomi said with a strong political will and innovative infrastructural transformation, Lagos would push forward its responses against malaria elimination.
He added that Lagos would have a unique opportunity to achieve its malaria prevention objectives with human resource strategy, digital interventions, health financing through insurance and steadfast partners in donor and private sector space.
SIGNED*
GBOYEGA AKOSILE*SPECIAL ADVISER – MEDIA AND PUBLICITY
