The Senate has passed for the second reading a bill to establish the National Agency for Malaria Eradication.

This followed the presentation of the general principles of the bill at plenary on Thursday by its sponsor, Ned Nwoko (APC-Delta).

Mr Nwoko, in his lead debate, said the bill seeks to address nothing short of a national emergency.

According to him, malaria is not merely a public health issue but a crisis that impairs maternal health, drains economic productivity and impedes national development.

He said malaria accounts for most maternal mortality in Nigeria, contributing to severe anaemia, miscarriages, stillbirths and infant deaths.

Mr Nwoko said the tragic outcomes caused by malaria had a potential effect on most vulnerable citizens, adding that economically, malaria was resulting in the loss of millions of manpower every year.

He said that although there were various efforts to eradicate malaria, the strategies and efforts could not substitute for a structured national action.

The senator said the bill proposed a centralised, autonomous and fully-resourced National Agency for Malaria Eradication, stressing that its mandate would be clear and aggressive.

He stated that the agency, when established, would formulate and champion national policies for malaria eradication and coordinate inter-agency and sectoral responses with authority.

He said the agency would also mobilise and manage resources efficiently and transparently, and support vaccine research, including genetic innovations being explored globally.

“Nigeria cannot continue to lead the world in malaria deaths; our vectors are evolving; our parasites are adapting, so must our institutional response.

“A fragmented structure cannot confront a mutating threat! We need a unified, science-driven and legislatively backed institution, with the singular mandate of ending malaria in Nigeria.

“Mr President, distinguished colleagues, the time has come for this nation to demonstrate the political will, urgency and resolve that malaria eradication demands.

“Let this bill be our collective legacy, a line in the sand, marking the point where Nigeria stands up, not just to treat malaria, but to end it,” he said.

Contributing, Victor Umeh (LP-Anambra) commended the sponsor of the bill, saying malaria was a challenge to society, and Nigerians were paying dearly for it.

He also said there was a need to evolve measures to address malaria in the country.

Ede Dafinone (APC-Delta), in his contribution, noted that malaria had an incredible impact on the economy and the citizens, saying young people were the most vulnerable.

According to him, the bill focuses on reducing the impacts of malaria on the people.

Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin (APC-Kano), who presided over the plenary at that moment, referred the bill to the Committee on Health for further legislative inputs, directing it to report back in four weeks.

(NAN)