The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has officially launched the free malaria vaccine rollout in Kebbi and Bayelsa States, reaffirming the government’s commitment to ending malaria deaths among children.
Z in Abuja during an interview with journalists to mark World Malaria Day 2025, the Executive Director of NPHCDA, Dr Muyi Aina, urged parents and caregivers to seize the opportunity and vaccinate their children against the deadly disease.
“The vaccine is part of the Federal Government’s commitment to reducing malaria-related deaths, especially among children under five,” Aina stated.
“It is safe, effective, and a critical addition to our malaria prevention strategy.”
The R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine has been integrated into the routine immunisation schedules in both states, positioning Nigeria among the first African nations to deploy the vaccine at scale.
According to Aina, the initial phase targets over 1.5 million children aged between five and 11 months, with trained healthcare workers delivering the vaccines at Primary Healthcare Centres and outreach points.
As Nigeria remains the country with the highest burden of malaria globally, the NPHCDA boss described the free vaccine rollout as a bold step toward achieving the global target of reducing malaria cases and deaths by 90 per cent by 2030.
“This World Malaria Day, we are calling on communities, caregivers, and stakeholders to support this campaign. No child should die from a preventable disease like malaria,” he emphasized, assuring Nigerians that the vaccine has undergone rigorous safety and efficacy evaluations.
This year’s World Malaria Day is themed “Malaria Ends with Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite,” emphasizing the urgent need for renewed action against one of Nigeria’s deadliest diseases.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Nigeria accounts for 27 per cent of global malaria cases and 32 percent of malaria deaths. In 2023 alone, about 68 million Nigerians were infected, resulting in more than 200,000 deaths, primarily among children under five and pregnant women.
