BY IMAOBONG DEM
HEALTH CORRESPONDENT

Conversation on resource mobilization and non-dependence on external funding for Malaria was the crux of discussions at an Advocacy workshop held in AkwaIbom state.

The workshop organized by President Malaria Initiative- PMI; a USAID funded project in collaboration with Nigerian Interfaith Action Association – NIFAA, opened deliberations on avenues to improve domestic funding and resource mobilization for Malaria Programme.

The 3 day brainstorming session held at Um-neak hotel in Uyo from the 31st of August to September 2, 2020.
Key players in AkwaIbom’s Malaria elimination Programme deliberated to identify advocacy challenges, while also working at addressing them, to achieve the development of a realistic structure for resource mobilization in the state.

Malaria Funding and provision of resources in Nigeria have been driven by foreign agencies and donor Partners over the years with support from the governments of every state.

Total funding for Malaria control and elimination reached $2.7 billion in 2018. Contributions from government of Malaria endemic countries amounted to US$900 million , representing 30% of total funding, the World Health Organisation – WHO reports.

The target therefore is sustaining the gains of the State Malaria elimination programme through adequate funding and resource availability.
Malaria remains endemic in Nigeria. A WHO data indicates that nineteen countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and India carried almost 85% of global malaria burden. Six countries accounted for more than half of all Malaria cases worldwide with Nigeria contributing 25% to this rate. Still, the Malaria prevalence has been projected to rise in most affected countries in 2020, where Nigeria is categorized, due to the Covid19 disruptions (WHO, 2020).

Also, the current situation of Malaria burden in AkwaIbom was captured with indication that the state had the highest Malaria prevalence (23.2%) among children under 5 years in South South Nigeria (NDHS 2018).

With these established facts on the burden of Malaria in Nigeria, and AkwaIbom, the state’s typography encourages breeding of the Anopheles Mosquitoes; the vector responsible for Malaria Parasite transmission. “Continuous efforts to reduce the burden is significant”, Director of Health Services in AkwaIbom’s Ministry Health, Dr GODFREY AKRO says.
Dr Akro maintains that domestic funding is achievable. “the funds are there, lets create strategies to access them”, he stipulated.

Similarly, the State Malaria Elimination Programme Manager, Dr JOHN OROK says Individuals in the AkwaIbom should not leave the fight against Malaria to government and Partners alone; “Various people, Philanthropists, have been supporting their individual Malaria programmes to close the funding gap”, he added.

Coordinating the dialogue which focused on issues affecting Advocacy in AkwaIbom, the Social and Behavior change communication and advocacy manager at NIFAA, Mr IFEANYI KALU said that channeling the advocacy to the right quarters will enhance improved planning, implementation, and coordination of malaria activities.

Mr IFEANYI conveyed his gratification at the end of the 3 day workshop. According to him there were revelations on critical aspects of the Malaria struggle, which key actors in the Malaria fight needed to improve upon, towards attaining Zero Malaria cases in the state.

The discourse by these relevant actors ascertained the current situation with Budgetary allocation for Malaria programmes in AkwaIbom, and how the funding and resources can be augmented.

The Stakeholders identified that there is need to shore up the budget for Malaria elimination programmes in AkwaIbom, sustain the existence of a workable Database that shows consistent Malaria Prevalence and mortality rate (30% of deaths in under 5 children are attributed to Malaria ; DHIS AUGUST 2020). Such database is considered a vital tool that can boost resource mobilization and allocation of funds exclusively for Malaria

In this regard, Barrister PETER SALIFU, an administrator at NIFAA articulated his view on access to accurate Data for the Morbidity and Mortality from Malaria specifying that Data availability remains a selling point for increased Funding.

The target to eliminate Malaria globally is 2030. The present actualities where the gains made over the years towards realizing Zero Malaria cases in Nigeria are being reversed due to certain challenges, is enough to leave our sleeves rolled up, motivate stakeholders to work relentlessly and ensure that the hard work put into the end Malaria initiative is not wasted.

The push to change the narrative in Nigeria’s Malaria elimination project with improved advocacy championed by NIFAA and PMI, is currently being implemented in AkwaIbom, Cross River, Ebonyi, and Oyo states.

A follow up workshop to develop workable advocacy tools aimed at advancing domestic funding, enlarging the resources for the Malaria Project in AkwaIbom subsequently held in the same month of September.

Developing the advocacy tools, stakeholders that can make domestic funding realizable were identified, and ways with which they will be engaged to ensure they run along with the End Malaria vision by committing financially and otherwise were mapped out.

Furthermore the role of government was recognized as critical. The need to evoke the government’s political will was considered premium. Consequently, the current state of funding for malaria in AkwaIbom was established comprising the budget allocated and released every year for the state Malaria Elimination Programme, SMEP, the Funding gaps, and what can possibly work in the long term to sustain the elimination project for Malaria.

We need to do our work holistically such that when we present our Advocacy for more government involvement in Funding Malaria in AkwaIbom state, the government will be convinced that this is indeed necessary and achievable”, Mr IFEANYI KALU emphasized.

The task ahead is daunting, attaining ZERO MALARIA cases in AkwaIbom starts with every individual, and it simply reflects the urgent need for every citizen of the state to take responsibility for the elimination of Malaria, he further asserted.