WorldStage Newsonline—The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and the Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) have called for a better stakeholder engagement to seek more funding for the fight against malaria in Nigeria.
This was disclosed at an interactive workshop with the winners of the 2017 NLNG Prize for Science, organized by the LCCI and the NLNG, as part of activities to mark the World Malaria Day 2018 in Lagos on Tuesday.
LCCI President, Mr. Babatunde Ruwase at event urged African leaders to show more commitment to the fight against malaria to meet the World Health Organisation (WHO) target of eradicating malaria by 2030.
“In 2016, there were 216 million cases of malaria in 91 countries, five million more than the 211 million cases reported in 2015. Malaria deaths in Africa accounted for 407,000 cases out of the global number of 445,000 in 2016, according to WHO statistics. This calls for a special attention on Africa. African leaders must show more commitment to the fight against malaria. We need innovative ways and means in enhancing our capabilities in ‘beating malaria’.
“With US$2.7billion investing globally to fight malaria in 2016, this represents less than half (41%) of the estimated US$6.5billion needed annually till 2020 in order to reach the 2030 global malarial targets. We advocate for more private sector participation and funding as government and international donor agencies alone may not be able to finance this budget estimate for malaria across the globe,” he said.
Chairman Advisory Board, NLNG Prize for Science, Prof. Akpoveta Susu also called for more funding in attainment of a malaria-free and healthy population that will deliver the innovations and productivity needed for national development.
Prof. Susu who was full appreciation for the Nigeria LNG’s contributions to the development of science in Nigeria noted that the NLNG prize for science was inspired to spur outstanding works in scientific research and literary works in the country.
Presenting his work titled: “Novel lipid microparticles for effective delivery of Artemether anti-malarial drug using a locally-sourced Irvingia fat from nuts of Irvingia gabonensis var excelsa (Ogbono)”, One of the winners of the 2017 Prize for Science, Dr. Chukwuma Agubata urged relevant organiseations to partner with him so as to achieve commercialization of the research to aid the fight against malaria in Africa.
Other works presented at the workshop include the Prof Olugbenga Mokuola’s “Multifaceted Efforts at Malaria Control in Research: Management of Malaria of Various Grades and Mapping Artemisinin Resistance” and “Improving Home and Community Management of Malaria: Providing the Evidence Base by Ikeoluwapo Ajayi Ayodele.
