Access Bank ‘Malaria to Zero’ Initiative

Svetlana KouzminaNews

The ‘Malaria-to-Zero’ initiative is an unprecedented platform for pooling the resources and capabilities of the organized private sector, to strategically build synergies to generate impact at scale, complementing the Nigerian government’s effort to achieve its malaria pre-elimination goals by 2020. The long-term goal of the ‘Malaria to Zero’ initiative is a Malaria Free Nigeria by 2040.

The vision of the ‘Malaria-to-Zero’ initiative is to target the underlying causes of underperformance and disrupt the low level equilibrium in malaria outcomes. It seeks to reach over 20 million women and children, and save the lives of at least one million women and children in Nigeria over four years.

The initiative, championed by Access Bank Plc., under the leadership of its CEO Mr. Herbert Wigwe, and Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria (PHN), was launched at the ‘CEO Roundtable for Malaria Pre-Elimination in Nigeria’ held on World Malaria Day 2016. The initiative currently involves 15 private sector organizations including Aliko Dangote Foundation, Stanbic IBTC Plc., Zenith Bank Plc., GlaxoSmithKline, Etisalat and Huawei Technologies Plc, all of whom signed a joint commitment declaration towards mobilizing resources for the initiative.

Program Focus Areas

The Malaria-to-Zero initiative has selected key program areas for operationalizing support to current malaria preventive and treatment interventions, in alignment with the national strategy for malaria pre-elimination and state disease implementation plans.

The program focus areas are:

  • Communication and effective demand creation
  • Distribution of LLINs (Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets) in under-served communities, and stimulating in-country production of LLINs
  • Management of severe malaria
  • Seasonal malaria chemoprophylaxis (drugs to prevent malaria)
  • Indoor residual spraying
  • Enhancing in-country research and development capacity for malaria pre-elimination

To date, results include

  • Over one million people reached with information, education and communication materials on malaria
  • 40% increase in demand for malaria commodities at primary health centers
  • Increased net usage. (90% conversion rate; 90% of people that received the bed net used it appropriately)
  • 30,000 LLINs distributed

For more information about the Access Bank Malaria to Zero Initiative, click here