In a determined effort to curb the scourge of malaria in Nigeria, the Africa Youth Growth Foundation (AYGF) has partnered with the National Malaria Elimination Program (NMEP) to launch an intensive anti-malaria initiative in Edo State. This strategic partnership is poised to bring significant advancements in malaria prevention and treatment, focusing on rural communities where malaria poses a severe health threat. Malaria remains one of Nigeria’s most pressing health challenges, with the country accounting for approximately 27% of the world’s malaria cases and over 100 million cases reported annually. This staggering statistic highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions and high-impact programs. AYGF and NMEP’s collaboration aims to tackle this issue head-on by enhancing access to quality malaria services, fostering community awareness, and promoting preventive measures that can reduce the disease’s prevalence. The initiative’s approach is holistic and community-centered, employing a range of strategies to effectively address malaria’s root causes and spread. One of the key components of the program will be community mobilization. Through this, AYGF and NMEP aim to engage local leaders and communities directly, ensuring that awareness of malaria prevention reaches every corner of Edo State. This will empower residents with the knowledge they need to protect themselves and their families from this preventable disease. Health education will also play a pivotal role in this initiative. Through training sessions, workshops, and public information campaigns, community members will learn about malaria symptoms, transmission methods, and the importance of early diagnosis and treatment. By equipping people with accurate information, AYGF and NMEP are working to dispel common myths about malaria and encourage prompt treatment-seeking behavior. A cornerstone of the program is the distribution of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), which are proven to be one of the most effective tools in reducing malaria transmission. These nets are essential in areas where malaria-carrying mosquitoes are prevalent, especially during night-time when mosquitoes are most active. By distributing these nets on a large scale, the partnership aims to drastically reduce malaria cases, particularly among vulnerable populations like children and pregnant women. Health system strengthening is another priority of this partnership. AYGF and NMEP are committed to reinforcing the capacity of local health systems to handle malaria cases efficiently. This involves training healthcare workers, providing essential medical supplies, and improving the infrastructure needed for effective malaria treatment and prevention. With better-equipped health facilities and trained personnel, communities will have reliable access to quality malaria services, which is crucial for reducing the disease’s impact. To ensure the success of this initiative, AYGF and NMEP have set up a rigorous monitoring and evaluation system. This system will track the program’s progress, measure outcomes, and identify areas for improvement. By continuously assessing the impact of their efforts, AYGF and NMEP can make data-driven adjustments, ensuring that resources are used effectively and that the initiative yields meaningful results in the fight against malaria. Above all, AYGF and NMEP’s partnership is built on a foundation of equity, inclusivity, and social justice. They are committed to reaching the most vulnerable populations, ensuring that malaria prevention and treatment services are accessible to everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status or geographic location. By focusing on rural communities often overlooked in national health initiatives, this partnership addresses a critical gap in Nigeria’s malaria response.

In our ongoing commitment to improving the nutritional health of mothers and children, AYGF recently paid a visit to the UNICEF team. The team was led by the Executive Director, Dr. Arome Salifu with the Head of the Programs Department, Nelson Egbunu and Programs Officer, Imaga Oji. The meeting centred on sustainable strategies to address the nutritional needs of children under five, pregnant women, and lactating mothers, particularly in the context of the post-ANRiN (Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria) program.  We are enthusiastic about future collaborations with UNICEF to promote continuous healthy lives for these vulnerable groups.

Team AYGF joined forces with Doctors Without Borders (DWB) for a friendly football match. It served as a team-building exercise, fostering camaraderie through a shared love of sports. The match provided an opportunity for AYGF and DWB to build rapport while exploring the potential for future collaboration on future projects. At AYGF the ability to balance work, family and fun is at the core of what makes us a formidable team. Follow us on all our social media pages for real-time updates on all our activities.  Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you.

Towards strengthening Community Advocacy and provision of primary health care services in Nigeria, the AYGF team paid a courtesy visit to the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA. Received, by the Director NPHCDA, Dr Memuna Hamisu and her team, AYGF was commended for the good work done over the years in the area of public health which aligns with areas NPHCDA is committed to. The meeting highlighted the need for improved healthcare delivery, sustainability of healthcare initiatives in Nigeria and building partnerships.

Clean hands are a simple yet powerful tool to prevent the spread of disease.  As a champion for WASH, AYGF commemorated World Hygiene Day, urging everyone to prioritise handwashing. Together, let’s encourage proper handwashing practices and ensure access to clean water and sanitation facilities. Let’s save lives by cleaning our hands.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), infants and young children remain the most vulnerable, suffering the highest mortality rates from malaria. World Malaria Day, observed annually on April 25th, serves as a critical reminder of the relentless fight against malaria. This global event highlights the ongoing need for increased awareness and immediate action to address the widespread impact of this preventable and treatable disease.  This year’s theme, “Accelerating the fight against malaria for a more equitable world,” calls for intensified efforts to eliminate malaria and ensure that no one is left behind. AYGF, in collaboration with the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) and various development partners, commemorated World Malaria Day with a solidarity road walk in Abuja. This event underscored our commitment to eradicating malaria and fostering a healthier, more equitable world. The road walk highlighted the strength and resilience that comes from working together. By joining forces, we can overcome the most formidable challenges, ensuring a healthier future for all. We are motivated to continue our efforts, working tirelessly alongside our partners to accelerate the fight against malaria.

Introduction   Malaria is a serious tropical disease that is caused by Plasmodium parasites, which are spread to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Although there has been a decline in the prevalence of malaria in the country, Nigeria still accounts for a high percentage of malaria cases globally. This data has necessitated the continuous campaign towards total eradication of malaria in Nigeria. World Malaria Day is observed annually on 25 April, to bring global attention to the efforts being made to bring an end to malaria and encourage action to reduce suffering and death from the disease. AYGF commemorated the 2023 World Malaria Day in two rural communities in the FCT. Objectives  The main goal of the project was to contribute to the reduction of malaria prevalence in rural communities in Abuja. Specific objectives include: To increase the knowledge of rural dwellers on malaria prevalence  To offer malaria testing services to community members  To provide treatment to those who tested positive to malaria. ACTIVITIES AYGF marked the 2023 World Malaria Day with the following activities: Road show in collaboration with NMEP and other development partners. Ministerial press briefing organized by NMEP in collaboration with other development partners Community outreach to 2 rural communities in the FCT. The communities include: Zhilu Village, AMAC, Abuja and Sa Lugbeyi Village, AMAC, Abuja.   Results 150 Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets were distributed to pregnant women and mothers with children 0-23 months across the 2 communities Over 200 community members across the 2 communities received information on malaria: causes, symptoms, prevention and treatment. 175 community members across the 2 communities were tested for malaria Antimalaria treatment was offered to 41 community members who tested positive to malaria. Chemoprophylaxis was offered to 36 community members who tested negative but showed signs of fever.   The leaders of the 2 communities thanked AYGF for seleccting their communties as beneficiaries of this year’s WMD outreach and made commitments to ensure clean environments to reduce the prevalence of mosquito breeding sites that leads to malaria within the communities.