Why Malaria Vaccine Should Be Free For Nigerians

At the inauguration of the House of Representatives committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Control (ATM) on Thursday, November 2, 2023, the Chairman of the Committee, Amobi Ogar, called on the Federal government of Nigeria to make the Malaria vaccine free or subsidised.

With 68 million reported cases and 194,000 deaths in 2021, Malaria is a major public health concern in Nigeria.

“I am also concerned about the havoc Malaria is wreaking on our populace, and we are going to push and advocate for Malaria drugs to be subsidised, if not made free at all Government Health Centres,” he said.

Nigeria, which accounts for 27 percent of the Malaria burden in the world, the highest globally, approved the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine in April 2023.

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“It is no rocket science that most Nigerians are affected by Malaria, yet access to drugs is not readily available, and the ones available are very exorbitant,” Ogar said. He added, “My vision is to see a Nigeria where Malaria drugs will be given to our people for free or subsidised.”