As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to commemorate World Malaria Day today, patients have lamented the rising costs of antimalarial medications amidst fears of financial instability and reduced life expectancy.

Though the Federal Government said it is taking steps for intervention, Nigerians still grapple with the high costs of drugs, including antimalarial drugs.

The WMD is commemorated every year on April 25 and recognises global efforts to control malaria. This year’s celebration is themed, ‘Accelerating the fight against malaria for a more equitable world,’ according to the World Health Organisation.

Findings by our correspondent showed that the prices of some antimalarial drugs have increased between 12 per cent to 25 per cent from November 2023 to April 2024.

In November, an Artesunate injection of 120mg was sold for N2,500. The 60mg of the injection was sold for N1,800. Coartem 80/480 was N3,300. Amatem soft gel was sold for N2,500 and Lonart 80/480mg was sold for for N2,850.

However, in April, market surveys showed that Artesunate 120mg is now about N2,800; The 60mg of the injection was sold for N2,000. Coartem 80/480 is now sold for N4,000. Amatem soft gel is sold for N3,000; and Lonart 80/480mg is sold for N3,500.

A school teacher, Amina Yusuf lamented that the hike in antimalarial drugs has become unbearable and there is a need for the government to intervene.

“They keep telling us that we should not use concoctions to treat ourselves, yet we cannot afford the drugs at the pharmacies.

“Malaria is common in Nigeria, hence the need for the government to intervene. The high prices of drugs have become unbearable, and my take-home pay at the end of the month is not enough,” Yusuf said.

Mr. Akin Ojo said he resorted to taking herbal medicines when he was diagnosed with malaria because he could not afford antimalarial drugs at the pharmacy.

“When taking those medications, you have to eat well. They will still tell you to buy panadol or paracetamol, and by the time you calculate everything, you will see that people like us cannot afford it,” he lamented.

In 2023, the former Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire said an estimated 55 million cases of malaria and nearly 90,000 malaria deaths occur each year in Nigeria.

Ehanire noted that the economic burden of malaria in Nigeria was estimated at $1.6 billion (N687bn) in 2022 and may increase to about $2.8bn (N2 trillion) in 2030.

Speaking with our correspondent, the National Chairman, Association of Community Pharmacists in Nigeria, Adewale Oladigbolu said the government needs to invest adequately in the health sector to reduce the prices of drugs in the country.

“Patients are not meant to have a problem with the prices of drugs if the health insurance is working in Nigeria. The government needs to invest so we can make Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients because many of the antimalarial drugs are imported. For those that are locally made, they have to improve the APIs, and they are subject to changes in exchange rates.

“If the government invests in the sector and partners with the private sector, that will help in the reduction of antimalarial drugs. Nigeria is probably the country that has the highest antimalarial consumption rate in the whole world,” he said.

Africa carries a high proportion of the global malaria burden, accounting for about 95 per cent of all malaria cases and 96 per cent of all malaria deaths in 2021, according to the global health body.

The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti said, “While Nigeria accounts for around 27 per cent of the global burden of malaria cases, the country has seen major progress.

“Malaria incidence has fallen by 26 per cent since 2000, from 413 per 1,000 to 302 per 1,000 in 2021. Malaria deaths also fell by 55 per cent, from 2.1 per 1,000 population to 0.9 per 1,000 population.

“Drivers of this continuing disease burden include the size of Nigeria’s population, making scaling up intervention challenging; suboptimal surveillance systems, which pick up less than 40 per cent of the country’s malaria data; inadequate funding to ensure universal interventions across all states; and health-seeking behaviour, where people use the private sector, with limited regulation, preferentially.”

Meanwhile, the WHO said malaria remains a serious global health challenge that takes its heaviest toll on the most vulnerable.

It stated that young children living in the poorest households in sub-Saharan Africa are disproportionately affected by the disease.

“Pregnant women, refugees, migrants, internally displaced people, and indigenous people are among the other groups at higher risk of contracting malaria.

“Too many people continue to miss out on the services and information they need to prevent, detect and treat malaria, especially those experiencing disadvantage, discrimination and exclusion,” it said.

The global health body noted that there is a need to strengthen and step up support for these populations as the best way to get back on track to achieve the global malaria targets.