Malaria Consortium, UCH Explore Stronger Collaboration to Advance Malaria Control

The Board of Trustees of Malaria Consortium has visited the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, to explore stronger collaboration on malaria control, surveillance, case management and research as efforts to reduce the disease burden in Nigeria continue.

The engagement took place on Tuesday, 4 August 2026, at the UCH Boardroom, where the delegation discussed malaria programme implementation, operational strategies, research priorities and opportunities for collaboration with the tertiary health institution.

Leading the delegation, Dr Kolawole Maxwell, Management Lead for Malaria Consortium's Nigeria programme, said the visit was intended to give members of the Board a firsthand understanding of the organisation's work and its partnerships in the country.

He said the engagement provided an opportunity to examine how malaria interventions are being implemented, including Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC), surveillance, case management and partnerships supporting malaria control.

Discussions with UCH also focused on state-level malaria control priorities, progress recorded so far and opportunities to strengthen collaboration between the hospital and Malaria Consortium.

Key areas highlighted during the engagement included Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention and community-level interventions, improved malaria surveillance and data use, case management, stronger government ownership of malaria programmes and sustained domestic financing.

The discussions also considered research partnerships that could generate evidence to inform malaria policy and programme implementation.

As part of the visit, the delegation toured the hospital's Paediatrics Department to observe service delivery and identify potential areas for future collaboration.

During the visit, mosquito nets and toys were also distributed to children receiving care in the department.

The Chief Medical Director of UCH, Prof Jesse Abiodun Otegbayo, welcomed the delegation and reaffirmed the hospital's willingness to collaborate with organisations working to improve healthcare delivery, research and training.

He described malaria as a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Africa and said stronger partnerships would be important in efforts to reduce its impact on patients and communities.

“UCH is ready to partner with organisations like Malaria Consortium whose work aligns with our mandate of providing quality healthcare, training, and research.”

He added that collaboration between institutions could contribute to reducing the burden of malaria and improving patient outcomes.

Why the engagement matters

Malaria remains a significant public health challenge in Nigeria, making collaboration between malaria-focused organisations and tertiary health institutions important for translating evidence into better surveillance, diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

For UCH, partnerships involving research and service delivery can also support the generation and application of evidence within clinical settings, while collaboration with specialised malaria organisations can strengthen links between facility-based care and community-level interventions.

The engagement therefore extends beyond a courtesy visit, with discussions touching on several components of malaria control, from preventive interventions and surveillance to research, case management and health-system strengthening.

Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to continued engagement and practical collaboration aimed at supporting stronger malaria control efforts and improving health outcomes