ACOMIN Makes Great Strides in Nigeria’s Fight Against Malaria

According to the Global statistics, Nigeria has one of the highest malaria burden globally. WHO reports that ‘In 2019, 6 countries accounted for approximately half of all malaria deaths worldwide: Nigeria (23%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (11%), United Republic of Tanzania (5%), Burkina Faso (4%), Mozambique (4%) and Niger (4% each)’. Nigeria alone is responsible for 25% of the world’s malaria burden. In order to turn this situation around, GF has invested significant funds on Malaria, (as well as TB and HIV) in Nigeria. The most recent allocation to Nigeria is for a sum of US$900 million for the years 2021 to 2023 (for ATM).

As part of the ongoing national efforts to address the challenges of Malaria in Nigeria, ACOMIN is working alongside other stakeholders, with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) as Principal Recipient, being funded by Global Fund under the New Funding Model 3 (NFM3) to carry out Malaria interventions in thirteen (13) states (Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Kwara, Niger, Taraba, Gombe, Yobe, Adamawa, Ogun, Osun and Delta States). The scope of the ACOMIN Component in these states cover 8 LGAs per State (104 LGAs across 13 States) and 2 CBOs per LGA (16 CBOs per state and 208 CBOs in all 13 States).

The ACOMIN component is referred to as Community Led Monitoring (CLM). Community-led monitoring (CLM) focuses on getting input from service providers, recipients of services and the affected communities in a routine and systematic manner that will translate into action and change. In this respect, ACOMIN is working in close collaboration with the Ministries of Health, National and State Malaria Elimination Programmes, Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA) and Roll Back Malaria project in the thirteen (13) states; as well as CRS, and its Sub Recipients being Society for Family Health, Management Sciences for Health, Malaria Consortium, the mass media and other relevant stakeholders.

The Community Led Monitoring Initiative is focused on availability, access to and quality of malaria services; improved budgetary appropriation and community investment; and improved human resources for health. We have so far achieved tremendous results on the above by involving the communities in monitoring and taking ownership of their health outcomes.