The Vice-Chancellor of David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS), Uburu, Prof. Jesse Uneke, has called for a more targeted and evidence-based strategy to accelerate the reduction of malaria infections across Nigeria.
Speaking at a policy engagement organised by the African Institute for Health Policy and Health Systems (Nigeria) and the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, DUFUHS, in collaboration with the Solina Centre for International Development and Research and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Prof. Uneke said that tackling malaria requires a shift from the conventional one-size-fits-all approach to a data-driven, subnationally tailored model.
Delivering a paper titled “Promoting Evidence-Informed Policymaking and Implementation to Facilitate Monitoring, Learning, and Evaluation (MLE) for Malaria Subnational Tailoring (SNT) in Kano State – Part Two,” the Vice-Chancellor emphasized the importance of high-quality data in guiding malaria interventions.
“To achieve meaningful progress in malaria control, we must move away from generic programming and focus on subnational tailoring—using reliable data to design interventions that reflect local realities,” Prof. Uneke said.
He explained that effective malaria elimination strategies must prioritize data accuracy, policy alignment, and local engagement, adding that evidence-based policymaking would enhance planning, implementation, and monitoring of malaria programmes nationwide.
Commending stakeholders for their unwavering commitment to the Malaria Elimination Programme, Prof. Uneke disclosed that his team had developed a policy draft informed by findings from prior stakeholder engagements and existing research literature.
“This policy document represents a synthesis of our collective insights, aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s malaria response framework and ensuring that decisions are guided by facts rather than assumptions,” he noted.
He further praised the collaboration between academia, government agencies, and development partners, stressing that such partnerships are vital for achieving sustainable health outcomes and reducing the malaria burden in Nigeria.
The event, which brought together researchers, health policymakers, and development experts, underscored the need for continuous monitoring, learning, and evaluation to ensure that malaria interventions remain effective, equitable, and adaptable to local contexts.