The Lagos State Government has intensified efforts towards malaria elimination following a significant drop in malaria prevalence to below two per cent across the state.
Speaking during a symposium organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Health to commemorate the 2026 World Malaria Day at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, the Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, disclosed that about 95 per cent of fever-related cases in Lagos are no longer linked to malaria.
The symposium, themed “Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can, Now We Must,” highlighted Lagos’ progress in combating one of the world’s deadliest diseases through strategic interventions, surveillance, environmental sanitation, and evidence-based healthcare policies.
According to Abayomi, Africa accounts for 95 per cent of global malaria cases, while Nigeria contributes approximately 27 per cent of the global burden. However, he noted that Lagos has distinguished itself through sustained investments in public health initiatives and innovative malaria response systems.
He explained that fifteen years ago, malaria prevalence in Lagos stood at about 15 per cent but gradually declined to 10 per cent a decade ago and has now reduced to approximately two per cent.
Despite the decline, the Commissioner expressed concern that many health facilities still diagnose and treat patients for malaria without proper testing.To address the situation, the State Government conducted an extensive malaria study involving over 78,000 residents with fever symptoms across 514 healthcare facilities, including pharmacies, Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors, and Primary Health Centres.
The findings revealed that only five per cent of those tested were positive for malaria, while the remaining 95 per cent suffered from other illnesses.“This finding changed everything. We realised that most people being treated for malaria did not actually have malaria. That is why Lagos introduced a strict policy of ‘No Treatment Without Testing,’” Abayomi stated.
The Commissioner reiterated that antimalarial drugs remain effective when administered appropriately and warned that indiscriminate use of malaria medication contributes to misconceptions about drug resistance.
He added that Lagos had adopted a comprehensive “Prevent, Test, Treat and Track” strategy, which includes mandatory testing, treatment of only confirmed cases, and digital tracking of malaria-positive patients to identify hotspots and eliminate mosquito breeding sites.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Kemi Ogunyemi, said the state remained committed to evidence-based interventions under the THEMES+ Agenda.
She urged residents to intensify environmental sanitation efforts, embrace testing before treatment, and support measures aimed at reducing malaria transmission across communities.
The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dayo Lajide, disclosed that more than 978,000 malaria cases were treated across public and private health facilities in 2025 due to improved surveillance and data tracking systems.
She added that Lagos had digitised 514 private healthcare providers in partnership with the World Health Organization to strengthen malaria monitoring and healthcare delivery.
Stakeholders at the symposium reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining investments, strengthening surveillance systems, and deepening community engagement towards achieving a malaria-free Lagos.