By; MATTHEW UKACHUNWA, Lagos There is an urgent need for unified national action to tackle malaria and other diseases caused by poverty, a spe
By; MATTHEW UKACHUNWA, Lagos
There is an urgent need for unified national action to tackle malaria and other diseases caused by poverty, a specialist in medical research has said.
According to him, his recommendation has to be achieved through collaboration, innovation and community-led strategies.
Director of the Centre for Transdisciplinary Research in Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases (CTRMNTD), Professor Wellington Oyibo, expressed the view during a virtual meeting with members of Health Writers Association of Nigeria (HEWAN) on Friday July 4, 2025.
He described Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) as “public health challenges rooted in poverty and inadequate access to essential resources such as clean water, good drainage and quality healthcare.”
Oyibo expressed disappointment with Nigeria’s continued dependency on imported malaria commodities, despite the country’s large population and capacity to produce local alternatives such as insecticide-treated nets, diagnostics and medicines, which could also generate employment opportunities.
The Centre for Transdisciplinary Research in Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases director highlighted the Centre’s unique multidisciplinary approach which combines science, humanities, environmental engineering, health economics, and even literature to address the many facets of malaria and NTDs while tackling persistent myths and misinformation that fuel the spread of the problems he spoke about.
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