Kogi State Government said it has recorded a significant reduction in malaria prevalence, with cases dropping from 16 per cent in 2021 to 8.9 per cent in 2025.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Abdulazeez Adams Adeiza, disclosed this at the weekend during the 2026 World Malaria Day celebration held at the State Ministry of Health in Lokoja in collaboration with FamKris Healthcare Initiative (FHCI) Kogi State.
Adeiza described malaria as a major public health concern responsible for high morbidity and mortality, particularly among children under five and pregnant women, noting that Nigeria still bears a heavy global burden of the disease.
Citing the 2025 World Malaria Report, he said Nigeria accounts for about 24 per cent of global malaria cases and 30 per cent of malaria-related deaths.
The commissioner said Kogi State has made remarkable progress through sustained investments, strategic partnerships, and the commitment of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.
“The reduction in malaria prevalence is a clear indication that our strategies are yielding results. We are now poised to push further towards achieving zero prevalence in the state,” he said.
Speaking on the theme of the 2026 commemoration, “Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can, Now We Must,” Adeiza stressed the need to consolidate gains and intensify interventions across all communities.
The State Team Lead of FAMKRIS Health Care Initiative, Dr. Salamatu Yahaya, has expressed the significant gains recorded in malaria control efforts in Kogi State through the intervention of the Islamic Development Bank’s Lives and livelihoods fund project.
She disclosed that the initiative has improved access to healthcare services by providing free malaria testing and treatment across public health facilities in the state.
Dr Salamatu Yahaya noted that the project also strengthened healthcare waste management systems, with the installation of incinerators at the Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, and the General Hospital, Kabba, to ensure safe disposal of medical waste.
The team lead further revealed that health workers have benefitted from extensive capacity building in key areas such as case management, data reporting, community sensitisation, and supply chain management.
She added that Ward Development Committees have been empowered to drive grassroots interventions, a move she said has enhanced the effective delivery of malaria prevention and treatment services at the community level.
In his remarks, Mr Stephen Ake, the Programme Manager of the Kogi Malaria Elimination Programme, stressed the need to intensify public awareness on malaria prevention.
Ake said that although the prevalence of the disease was declining, residents must remain informed and vigilant to sustain progress.
Highlight of the programme include clyde road walk, Media parley and health talk on malaria prevention and treatment