The Senate has passed a bill for its third reading seeking the establishment of the National Agency for Malaria Elimination, an organization intended to coordinate efforts to prevent, control, and eventually eradicate malaria in Nigeria.
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The bill, which was sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko representing Delta North, reached this stage following the consideration and adoption of a report from the Senate Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary), chaired by Senator Ipalibo Harry Banigo of Rivers West.
According to the committee, the new agency will coordinate national malaria elimination programmes and shift the nation’s response from treatment-focused interventions toward prevention and eradication strategies.
The agency plans to establish zonal and state offices to drive implementation through a framework anchored on law, science, and accountability.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the legislation as a landmark step in the fight against malaria, noting that the disease remains one of the country’s most common health challenges.
Following the passage of the bill, Senator Nwoko expressed his confidence that the elimination of malaria in Nigeria is both practical and achievable.
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