The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, has expressed disappointment that Nigeria is still grappling with malaria, despite having hosted the world’s largest malaria summits in 2000 and 2023.
Speaking at the launch of the Geneith Health Competition in Abuja, an initiative aimed at engaging secondary school and university students in grassroots malaria awareness and intervention, Pate lamented that the disease remains widespread despite substantial investments from both current and past governments.
Represented by Dr. Godwin Ntadom, Director of Public Health at the Ministry, Pate described the competition as a “strategic and timely initiative” in the ongoing fight against malaria in Nigeria.
Organized by Geneith Pharmaceuticals in collaboration with CEOAFRICA and Coastal Forte Softgel, the competition seeks to involve students in health education, community outreach, and the development of impactful projects aimed at reducing malaria cases and fatalities.
“It’s concerning that Nigeria, even after hosting major global malaria summits, still carries the world’s highest burden of the disease,” Pate stated. “We must now move from dialogue to decisive action, and youth engagement is key to that shift.”
Other speakers at the event, including Mr. Umenwa Emmanuel, emphasized that the initiative extends beyond corporate social responsibility. Emmanuel pointed out that Nigeria accounted for 27% of global malaria cases and 31% of malaria-related deaths in 2022.
“This isn’t just a campaign—it’s a national call to action,” Emmanuel stressed. “We’re equipping young Nigerians to be innovators, advocates, and agents of behavioral change. Malaria must now be treated as a national emergency.”
Prince Cletus Ilobanafor also underscored the importance of youth involvement, describing the initiative as more than a competition: “It’s a movement. The future of public health rests with these young people, and they must take ownership of this battle if we hope to win it.”
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