By Omoyeni Ojeifo
Ahead of World Malaria Day, Nigerians are sounding the alarm over a worsening health crisis fueled by deteriorating environmental conditions and the skyrocketing cost of medical care.
The combination of these factors has trapped many citizens in a relentless cycle of infection and recovery, which all too often ends in fatality.
Residents and health experts point to a dangerous feedback loop:
Environmental Decay: In the Federal Capital Territory, blocked drainage systems, stagnant water, and poor waste management have created perfect breeding grounds for mosquitoes—a crisis that intensifies during the rainy season.
Economic Barriers: The price of essential antimalarial drugs has surged by over 100%, effectively placing life-saving treatment out of reach for low-income households.
The Deadly Impact
The consequence of these overlapping issues is a “vicious circle” of disease.
Increased exposure to mosquitoes leads to frequent infections, while the high cost of medicine often results in delayed or incomplete treatment.
This not only prevents full recovery but also allows the disease to return repeatedly, further straining the nation’s health and economy.
Legislative Concern Over Rising Drug Costs
The legislative arm of government has joined the growing chorus of concern regarding the nation’s healthcare crisis.
On Wednesday, April 22, the House of Representatives urged the Federal Government to take immediate action against the skyrocketing cost of medication, warning that millions of Nigerians are being priced out of essential, life-saving treatments.
The resolution was sparked by a motion from Hon. Alex Ikwechegh (Aba North/South, Abia State), who emphasized that the situation has reached a critical breaking point for low-income earners.
“The cost of essential medicines has risen astronomically, placing them beyond the reach of millions of Nigerians who depend on them for survival,” Ikwechegh stated.
The House further noted a troubling trend: despite a 2024 Executive Order intended to lower costs by removing tariffs and import duties on pharmaceutical inputs, market prices have continued to climb.
The Double Burden: A Ground-Level View
The intersection of environmental hazards and economic strain is felt most acutely by citizens on the front lines.
In Abuja’s Lugbe district, local trader Amina Rabiu illustrated the grim reality, describing malaria not just as a recurring illness, but as a dual struggle for both physical health and financial survival.
“Na every day we dey treat malaria now. From one person to another. The painful thing be say we no even get money to afford drugs again.
“Na agbo I dey give my pikin now because as one person recover, another one go fall sick. Medicine too cost,” she told Persecondnews on Thursday in pidgin English.
A Kubwa resident, Mr. Peter Anuka, said poor drainage and high drug costs are working together against households.
“The gutters are blocked, mosquitoes are everywhere, and the drugs are expensive. So you just keep managing it,” he said.
For Mr. Oge, who lives in Dutse, the experience is similar.
“Since the rain started, mosquitoes have increased. But even when you go for treatment, the money is not small again,” he said.
NAFDAC Raises Alarm Over Fake Antimalarial Drugs
Adding another layer to the crisis, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised the alarm over counterfeit Proguanil tablets — specifically Projeanil and Re-Granil (100mg) — currently circulating in Nigeria.
In a statement, the agency warned that the falsified drugs pose a serious threat to public health.
Investigations revealed that the products carry a fake registration number — 04-6433 — which actually belongs to a different medication, Feroglobin B12 Capsules, indicating a deliberate attempt to deceive consumers.
NAFDAC said the counterfeit drugs were falsely labelled as being manufactured in India, with local agents listed in Ibadan.
As the world marks World Malaria Day, the agency urged healthcare providers and pharmacies to check their stocks and report any suspected falsified medicines.
Experts: A ‘Triple Threat’ Driving Malaria
Health experts said malaria in Abuja is now being driven by a “triple threat” environmental exposure, high drug costs, and the circulation of substandard or fake medicines.
A public health expert, Dr. Henry Amuta of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Nsukka, explained: “Poor drainage increases mosquito breeding, high drug costs prevent people from completing treatment, and in some cases, fake or substandard drugs may be contributing to persistent infections. What we are seeing is a cycle.”
He stressed that treatment alone cannot break the pattern.
“If mosquitoes continue to breed, people will keep falling sick. And if treatment is incomplete or ineffective, the illness will keep returning,” he said.
He further warned that malaria remains a serious and potentially deadly disease.
“Malaria is not just a common illness, it still kills, especially when treatment is delayed, incomplete, or ineffective. Many severe cases we see could have been prevented with early intervention.”
Another health expert, Dr. Mayowa Abdul, contributed to the conversation: “No one should die from malaria today because we have the tools to prevent and treat it. But those tools must be accessible, affordable, and properly used.”
Emphasizing proper medication, he said:“Even when symptoms reduce, the full dose must be completed to fully clear the parasite.”
Health Workers Confirm Reinfection Trend
A local pharmacist, Ifeoma Okeke, in Dakwo, Abuja, said repeated malaria cases are now common due to constant exposure and weak prevention systems.
“We see patients recover and return again within weeks or months. The environment is still the same, so reinfection is very easy,” she said.
She noted that the rainy season has worsened the situation.
“Stagnant water is everywhere now, and mosquitoes are increasing. Once the rain starts, you see them coming out from blocked gutters that don’t flow,” she added.
On treatment, she said:“Some patients don’t complete their drugs because of cost. That increases relapse cases.”
Call for Coordinated Government Action
Experts and residents are calling for stronger coordination between the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Federal Ministry of Health.
They say environmental authorities must intensify efforts to clear drainage systems, improve sanitation, and ensure stagnant water is properly channelled.
At the same time, health authorities are being urged to regulate drug prices, improve access to affordable treatment, and expand immunisation coverage, including malaria vaccination for children.
“You cannot separate the environment from disease burden, and you cannot separate cost from treatment outcomes,” one expert noted.
Nigeria’s Malaria Vaccine Expansion
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has said it is scaling up malaria prevention through vaccination.
An official of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) said Nigeria spends about $150 million annually on vaccines.
About one million children have received at least one dose, although completion remains a challenge due to the four-dose schedule.
Global Context and the Call to Action
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), malaria remains a preventable and treatable disease, yet it continues to be one of the world’s most significant health challenges.
World Malaria Day, observed annually on April 25, serves as a global platform to renew the commitment to eradicating the disease entirely.
This year’s theme, “Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can. Now We Must,” serves as a vital rallying cry.
It emphasizes the urgent need to seize every available opportunity to save lives today while securing the funding necessary for a malaria-free future.
A Growing Crisis in the Federal Capital
As the world marks the occasion this Saturday, the situation in Abuja reflects a deepening public health emergency.
The nation’s capital faces a perfect storm where environmental neglect, skyrocketing drug costs, and concerns over medication quality have become inextricably linked.
For many Nigerian households, malaria has evolved from an occasional illness into a permanent fixture of life.
It is a recurring burden dictated by two harsh realities: geographic vulnerability and financial capacity.
The Path Forward
The message from residents and experts alike is clear – until the gaps in environmental management and healthcare affordability are bridged, malaria will remain more than just a medical diagnosis.
Persecondnews reports that it will continue to be a relentless cycle of poverty and illness that many Nigerians simply cannot escape.
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