Lagos unveils digital malaria eradication programme

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.

Sanwo-Olu, while unveiling the programme, described malaria as a “socio-economic burden” that drained families’ household income, while robbing communities of productivity.

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: “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.

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.

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He said the Federal Government had supported efforts by sub nationals, taking steps to reverse the trend of malaria epidemic.

Lagos Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said the state, 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.”

The Star