Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, has said that malaria has become a rare disease in the state, urging residents to question diagnoses and avoid unnecessary medications.
Abayomi, who spoke in an interview with Channels Television on Saturday, said recent findings from extensive laboratory investigations across Lagos show that only a small fraction of fever cases are linked to malaria.
"Malaria is now a rare disease in Lagos. Out of every hundred fevers in Lagos, about three or four are caused by malaria.
"And we've repeated this with some of the top scientists and the most robust laboratory investigation. So malaria is a rare disease in Lagos right now," he said.
He advised residents to request test results before accepting any malaria diagnosis.
"If they tell you that you have malaria, question it. Ask them to show you the results, the cartridge. It's there. Your eyes can read it. It's yes or no," Abayomi said.
The commissioner also criticised the popular "malaria-typhoid" diagnosis, describing it as a "double jeopardy" that often results in unnecessary treatments, including anti-malarial drugs, antibiotics, and painkillers. He noted that many patients actually suffer from viral illnesses that mimic malaria and require rest and isolation instead of aggressive treatment.
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"Part of the problem is Lagosians want to be diagnosed with malaria. because they want an injection or they want IV fluid.
"But sometimes, all you have is a viral illness that mimics malaria, which is what is happening in Lagos. This so-called malaria-typhoid diagnosis is an unknown. It's a double jeopardy diagnosis. It's a sledgehammer," he said.
Abayomi added that while Lagos is close to eliminating malaria, neighbouring states such as Ogun and Oyo may need to explore similar homegrown solutions as the disease remains more common there.
According to Lagos health authorities, malaria prevalence has dropped sharply in recent years, with current data showing that about 1.3 per cent of fevers in the state are caused by malaria. The government attributed the progress to improved testing, case management, and digital tools used to strengthen malaria surveillance across public and private health facilities.