MSF flags malaria surge in North

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has sounded an alarm regarding the persistent and concerning malaria situation in northern Nigeria, particularly in states like Katsina, Kebbi, and Sokoto. Dr. Ali Nuradeen, MSF's Acting Medical Team Leader in Katsina, highlights a predictable pattern: malaria cases surge during the rainy season, typically from June to August, a trend consistent across these northern regions.

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There is this normal pattern. If you take out the southern part of Nigeria, where they usually have rainfalls, the burden is different compared to the northern part, where usually we tend to have rainfall mostly during June, July, August.

What is particularly worrying is the intertwined relationship between malaria and malnutrition among children in Katsina State. Dr. Nuradeen explains this vicious cycle: malnourished children have weakened immune systems, making them more vulnerable to severe malaria, while malaria itself exacerbates nutritional status through symptoms like loss of appetite and vomiting. This local perspective underscores a critical health challenge that demands immediate and scaled-up interventions, especially as Nigeria bears a disproportionate burden of malaria cases and deaths globally.

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But in terms of our data, for Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and all, it has a similarity pattern. Of having almost essentially the same burden, especially towards the end of when there is no malaria peak. Once the peak is coming, around June, July, and August, we also have an almost similar pattern of increase in the positivity rate.

MSF's data from 2025 reveals the severity of the issue, with the organization managing around 26,000 children in its inpatient therapeutic feeding center in Katsina. Malaria was consistently among the top three conditions treated, alongside acute watery diarrhea and sepsis. This statistic, presented within the context of World Malaria Day 2026's theme, "Driving to End Malaria: Now We Can, Now We Must," emphasizes the urgent need for action.

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This creates a vicious cycle. A malnourished child is more likely to develop severe malaria, and repeated malaria infections can push a child into malnutrition.

While malaria is both preventable and curable, the sheer scale of the problem in Nigeria, accounting for 95% of Africa's malaria burden, requires sustained efforts. The international focus on malaria often highlights global statistics, but for communities in northern Nigeria, it's a daily battle impacting their most vulnerable. MSF's work on the ground provides crucial insights into these localized struggles and the critical need for continued support and intervention to break the cycle of disease and malnutrition.

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Africa accounts for about 95 per cent of malaria cases and deaths worldwide, and Nigeria remains one of the highest burden countries.