The Federal Government has concluded plans to subsidise malaria diagnostic tests and treatment drugs in a bid to reduce the burden of healthcare costs on Nigerians and improve access to quality malaria treatment, especially in rural communities.
The intervention, known as the Affordable Diagnostics and Medicines Facility for Malaria (ADMFM), is being implemented through the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) with support from the World Bank-funded IMPACT Project.
National Coordinator of NMEP, Dr. Nnenna Ogbulafor, disclosed that more than N2 billion has been committed to the programme, which is expected to provide about four million malaria rapid diagnostic test kits and nearly two million treatment courses for patients.
According to her, the initiative seeks to make malaria diagnosis and treatment more affordable while encouraging proper testing before medication is administered.
She stressed that not every fever is caused by malaria and warned against the common practice of self-medication without diagnosis.
Ogbulafor explained that once malaria is confirmed through testing, patients would receive appropriate treatment using recommended artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), which remain the standard treatment for malaria.
The first phase of the programme will focus on private healthcare providers, particularly Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors (PPMVs), because available data shows that many Nigerians seek treatment first from private facilities.
She noted that the intervention would initially be implemented in Borno and Ekiti States before expanding to Abia, Ondo and other states participating in the World Bank-supported programme.
The initiative will place special emphasis on underserved communities and vulnerable groups, including children under the age of five and those up to 12 years old, who are among the most affected by malaria infections.
Health experts have repeatedly identified malaria as one of Nigeria’s most significant public health challenges, accounting for a large percentage of hospital visits and preventable deaths, particularly among children and pregnant women.
The programme is expected to be formally launched next month by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare.
