Abuja: Critical stakeholders in the health sector in Abuja expressed divergent views on the move by the Senate to establish the National Agency for Malaria Eradication.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the disagreements among the stakeholders came to the fore during a public hearing on the bill seeking the establishment of the agency, as sponsored by Sen. Ned Nwoko (APC-Delta). The public hearing was organised by the Senate Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary).
Chief State Counsel in the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Imarha Reuben, strongly opposed the bill, arguing that creating such an agency would lead to duplication of existing ones. Reuben noted that it would contradict the implementation of the Orosanye report, which aims to streamline government agencies. “The Federal Ministry of Justice is against the National Agency for Malaria Eradication (Establishment) Bill 2025 SB 172 to avoid duplication of functions of existing similar agencies, in line with implementation of the Orosanye report,” he stated.
Dr. Kolawole Maxwell, Chairman of the Malaria Technical Working Group in Nigeria, also expressed opposition to the proposed agency. Maxwell recommended that governments at all levels should focus on ensuring the total elimination of malaria, suggesting that the current eradication target be changed to elimination. He emphasized that the malaria programme should be housed within a coordinated government structure to prevent fragmentation of the health sector.
Mr. Fraden Bitrus, Director of Post-Marketing Surveillance at the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), echoed similar sentiments, calling for strengthened efforts towards eradicating the disease without creating a new agency.
Conversely, Ismaila Dankogi, President of the Environmental Health Officers Association, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter, supported the establishment of the agency. He argued that the proposed agency would help the country shift its approach to dealing with malaria from curative to preventive.
Dr. Chioma Amajoh, Executive Director of Community Vision Initiative, also strongly supported the move for the establishment of the agency, stating that it would serve as a springboard for coordinated action against malaria. She appealed to the committee to allow the proposal to proceed, arguing that the clinical case management of malaria in Nigeria has failed to control the disease effectively.
During the commencement of the public hearing, Senate President Godswill Akpabio stated that it was time to transition from seasonal campaigns to institutionalised eradication, supported by law, science, and accountability.
Committee Chairman, Sen. Ipalibo Banigo (PDP-Rivers), thanked the stakeholders for their inputs into the proposed legislation and assured them that all views would be considered objectively. “I assure you that this committee will consider all views objectively and transparently. And we remain committed to delivering legislation and oversight outcomes that prioritise the health, safety, and wellbeing of all Nigerians,” Banigo said.
NAN also reported on another bill and a motion for public hearing, including “The Federal Oil and Gas Hospital, Benikuru, Delta (Establishment) Bill, 2025,” sponsored by Sen. Joel-Onowakpo Thomas (Delta), and a motion on the “Urgent Need to Investigate and Halt the Continuous Unwholesome Practices of Chemical Ripening of Fruits Among Fruit Sellers in Nigeria,” sponsored by Sen. Anthony Ani (Ebonyi).