From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna
The Kaduna Maternal Accountability Mechanism (KADMAM) has commended the Nigerian Senate for passing the National Malaria Elimination Agency Bill, describing it as a landmark victory for public health, particularly for vulnerable women and children.
Garba Muhammad Munir, the Co-Chairman of KADMAM, stated that establishing a dedicated, standalone agency is a vital step toward breaking the hold of a disease that remains a leading cause of maternal and child mortality across Nigeria.
The passage of the bill marks the climax of years of intense, coordinated advocacy by lawmakers, civil society organizations, health advocates, and development partners.
Munir specifically praised the Kaduna Health Advocacy Media Alliance (KADHAMA) and broader media networks for keeping the issue in the public eye.
He noted that this legislative milestone demonstrates how multi-sector collaboration can successfully reshape national health policy.
According to KADMAM, the current scattered approach to malaria control has left critical gaps in funding, strategic planning, and service delivery.
A centralized institutional framework is expected to streamline coordination unifying various anti-malaria programs under a single regulatory umbrella, ensuring funding and treatments reach high-burden areas directly and accelerate elimination.
While celebrating the Senate’s decision, Munir made a direct appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to swiftly sign the bill into law to avoid bureaucratic delays in setting up the agency.
However, KADMAM cautioned that passing legislation is only the first step.
It noted that the ultimate success of the new agency will hinge on ironclad implementation, strict accountability, and consistent political backing.
“Without transparency and accountability, even the most well-designed institutions will underperform,” Munir warned.
He emphasized that once operational, the Federal Government must ensure the agency is robustly funded and insulated from budget disruptions.
Munir stressed that resources—both technical and human—must prioritize rural and underserved communities where healthcare infrastructure is weakest and the malaria burden is highest.
Reaffirming KADMAM’s stance on maternal, newborn, and child survival, Munir pledged that the group stands ready to collaborate with government bodies and civil society to monitor the agency’s progress and ensure its goals are faithfully met.
