Despite Nigeria’s hosting of the world’s largest malaria summits in 2000 and 2023, the country remains heavily burdened by the disease, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, has lamented.

The Minister made the observation during the official unveiling of the Geneith Health Competition, an initiative aimed at mobilising secondary school students and undergraduates in grassroots malaria advocacy and intervention across the nation.

In a statement made available to Daily Post, Pate, who was represented by the Director of Public Health in the Ministry, Dr Godwin Ntadom, expressed concern over the continued prevalence of malaria in the country despite substantial investments by both the current and previous administrations.

Describing the competition as a “timely and strategic intervention” in Nigeria’s protracted fight against malaria, Pate noted that the initiative, organised by Geneith Pharmaceuticals in partnership with CEOAFRICA and Coastal Forte Softgel, is designed to involve young Nigerians in malaria control efforts.

According to him, the programme directly targets junior and senior secondary school students as well as undergraduates, engaging them through health education, community outreach, and project development.

He explained that the overall aim is to significantly reduce malaria infections and deaths in the country.

“Despite hosting the world’s largest malaria summits in 2000 and 2023, Nigeria continues to bear the highest global burden of the disease. It is time to shift from talk to action by empowering our youth to lead that charge,” the Minister declared.

Other speakers at the event echoed similar sentiments, emphasising the importance of youth involvement in public health advocacy.

Mr Umenwa Emmanuel stressed that the initiative transcends the bounds of corporate social responsibility. He pointed out that Nigeria accounts for 27 per cent of global malaria cases and 31 per cent of malaria-related deaths recorded in 2022.

“This is not just a campaign; it is a call to action to reimagine how we fight malaria. We are placing tools in the hands of young Nigerians to innovate, advocate, and inspire behavioural change. Malaria should now be treated as a national emergency,” he asserted.

Also speaking, Prince Cletus Ilobanafor highlighted the role of youths as catalysts for change, stating that their passion and energy are crucial for the success of the campaign.

“This is not just a competition, it’s a movement. The future of public health lies in the hands of these students. They must own this fight if we are to win it,” he said.