DFID says Nigeria loses billion dollars to malaria yearly

Afrique Avenir

9 May 2011

DFID says Nigeria loses billion dollars to malaria yearly

The British Department for International Development (DFID) on Monday in Abuja said that Nigeria lost between US$1 billion and US$2 billion to malaria yearly.

Dr Jane Miller, DFID representative in the country said in that each year, Nigeria’s economy suffer most as a result of the extraordinarily poor health status of the country.

She spoke at the opening of the National Council on Health meeting with the theme, "Count Down to 2015 on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)’’.

Miller said that Nigeria was "seriously off track’’ to reach the MDGs 4 and 5 which were reductions in maternal mortality.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) country representative, Dr David Okello, urged the government to regain its momentum t ensure effective health care for the citizens. "Now that the elections are over, there is need to regain momentum that will ensure effective healthcare for the citizens of this country, especially in National Strategic Health Development Plan. "The plan is the fruit of an unprecedented collaborative and participatory national process involving government, partners, civil society and other key stakeholders,’’ he said.

He said that Nigeria would not be able to achieve healthcare without adequate finances and called for increase in allocation to the sector.