The Federal Government has commenced the policy process for the wider adoption of Perennial Malaria Chemoprevention (PMC) to protect children under two years living in areas with year-round malaria transmission.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, gave the directive during a dissemination meeting on implementation research for PMC in Abuja.
Salako directed the Department of Public Health and the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) to begin the policy enablement process following encouraging findings from a pilot programme designed to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of PMC in states not covered by Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention.
“The team that conducted this study has produced very promising outcomes,” the minister said.
He added: “As government, we also want to assess the cost-effectiveness of the intervention, which is equally important.”
“In the interim, I direct the Department of Public Health and the National Malaria Elimination Programme to work towards the policy enablement that will introduce Perennial Malaria Chemoprevention on a larger scale as part of our arsenal for eliminating malaria in Nigeria.”
According to Salako, the intervention would help address gaps in malaria prevention, particularly among infants living in parts of the country where malaria transmission persists throughout the year.
“Wider implementation of PMC will complement the existing malaria interventions and promote greater equity in access to malaria prevention,” he said.
The minister noted that malaria prevalence in Nigeria had declined from 42 per cent in 2010 to 15 per cent in 2025, according to the 2025 Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey.
He, however, said the country still faced a significant malaria burden.
“Despite the progress we have made, Nigeria still bears one of the highest malaria burdens in the world,” Salako said, noting that the country accounts for 24.3 per cent of global malaria cases and 30.3 per cent of malaria-related deaths.
He said the figures underscored the need for the government to continue expanding access to proven malaria prevention and treatment interventions.
The minister explained that PMC would be particularly relevant in southern Nigeria, where Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention is not implemented because malaria transmission occurs throughout the year.
“We must continue to ensure that our malaria policies are guided by scientific evidence and local realities,” he said.
Salako reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to implementing the National Malaria Strategic Plan 2026–2030 through evidence-based policies, integrated service delivery and stronger health systems.
“Our goal is to accelerate progress towards a malaria-free Nigeria, and every proven intervention that can help us achieve this must be properly assessed and deployed,” he said.
He also commended development partners, state governments and frontline health workers for their continued contributions to Nigeria’s malaria elimination efforts.