‘It’s time for more malaria research funding’

By Adekunle Yusuf

As the world marks this year’s Malaria Day, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has called for increased investment and research funding to contain public health challenges such as malaria, emerging and re-emerging diseases like COVID-19 and Ebola.

The PSN president, Sam Ohuabunwa, made the call to commemorate the World Malaria Day, a day set aside every April 25 to draw attention to the burden of malaria globally. He said that innovative strategies to end extreme poverty would also impact positively on efforts to contain public health challenges. As COVID-19 pandemic challenges the entire world, the importance of strong health systems to fight deadly infectious diseases like malaria has become more obvious, the industrialist said.

Although PSN noted that Nigeria was far from becoming malaria-free, it concluded that remarkable progress was being recorded. Ohuabunwa, however, said the country needed to rethink her budget and investment in infrastructure, especially in the health sector, for stronger and robust healthcare systems which can withstand pressure in the face of a pandemic. “Pharmacists, the most accessible healthcare professionals, are up-scaling their act in the prevention and treatment of malaria, since malaria infection is a risk factor and will increase the case fatality of COVID-19 and about 97 per cent of the population is at risk of malaria infection. Plasmodium falciparum is the most prevalent malaria parasite in Nigeria accounting for 99.7 per cent of estimated malaria cases. Children under the age of five  years, pregnant women and immune-compromised persons are most vulnerable. Children aged under five years accounted for 67 per cent (272 000) of all malaria deaths in 2018, worldwide,” he said.

Read Also: Fight against spread of COVID-19 can reverse effort on malaria- Expert

According to Ohuabunwa, continuous improvement against malaria can only be achieved with increased investment, and World Malaria Day presents an opportunity to remind world leaders of their commitments to end this preventable and treatable disease. “There is need for increased funding to cover all those at risk of malaria infection and improve on research and development. Innovative strategies to end extreme poverty will impact positively on efforts to contain public health challenges like malaria, emerging and reemerging ones like COVID -19 and Ebola.”

Globally, malaria elimination net is widening, with more countries moving towards the goal of zero malaria. In 2018, 27 countries reported fewer than 100 indigenous cases of the disease, up from 17 countries in 2010. Over the last decade, 10 countries have been certified by the WHO as malaria-free, with Algeria and Argentina making the 2019 list. These two countries, over the last decade, strengthened malaria surveillance systems that every case of malaria was rapidly identified and treated. With free malaria diagnosis and treatment in both countries, everyone received the services needed to prevent, diagnose and treat the disease.

Ohuabunwa believes Nigeria needs to rethink her budget and investment in infrastructure, especially the health sector for stronger and robust healthcare systems which can withstand pressure in the face of a pandemic. “As in previous years, the United States of America (USA) was the largest international source of malaria financing, providing US$ 1.0 billion (37%) in 2018.  Highest individual donors like Bill and Melinda Gates are also Americans. The present COVID-19 pandemic is a drama rehearsal of the worst to come. Most world leaders today are more national than global oriented. Several countries shot their doors to export of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) within the pandemic.

“We need to get to work now. ‘’We cannot continue to depend on handouts. Malaria is a disease of under development and poverty, that is why it has taken forever to develop Vaccines against malaria, which may not be the priority of the West. RTS,S/AS01 (RTS,S) is the first and, to date, the only vaccine  that shows it can significantly reduce malaria, and life-threatening severe malaria, in young African children. The clinical trial is yet to come to Nigeria.”

While commending the proactive initiative of the Central Bank of Nigeria for the 100 billion pharmaceutical industry intervention funds and hoping for a timely disbursement devoid of unnecessary bureaucracies, PSN said there are still a lot of gaps in funding research and development. Also, the umbrella body for all pharmacists in the country believes that the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) and the schools of pharmacy in Nigeria have all it takes to make the country a hub for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), lamenting that such institutions are grossly underfunded to perform. Unless Nigeria takes charge of malaria interventions, elimination and eradication of the disease may not be near, Ohuabunwa warned.

“Deliberate attention should be paid to the community pharmacists who provide over 60 per cent of the malaria interventions in our country. Government should structure single digit, less encumbered loans to assist the business aspect of the practice to improve availability and access to medicines. It is a core responsibility of government to ensure affordable pharmaceutical care for its citizens. Drugs are lifesaving special commodities and should not be allowed to compete with luxury items for high interest loans.

“Malaria rapid test kits should be dropped at community pharmacies for free testing of patients prior to commencement of chemotherapy. The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, through her technical groups, has continued to invest in the capacity development of pharmacists for delivery of world class pharmaceutical care to consumers of healthcare in Nigeria. Pharmacists are ever ready to offer their expertise for greater health of Nigerians,” Ohuabunwa said.