MSF Treats 26,000 Malnourished Children Amid Malaria Surge in Katsina

Francis Sardauna in Katsina

As Nigeria joined the rest of the world to mark the 2026 World Malaria Day, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has revealed that no fewer than 26,000 malnourished children were treated at its nutritional facilities in Katsina state in 2025, with malaria ranking among the leading complications affecting patients.

Addressing journalists on Saturday in Katsina in commemoration of the day, the acting MSF Medical Team Leader in the state, Dr. Ali Baba Nuradeen, said the high number of admissions underscores the strong link between malnutrition and malaria, particularly among children.

With the theme: “Driving to End Malaria: Now We Can, Now We Must,” the 2026 World Malaria Day underscores the urgent need for governments, partners and communities to intensify efforts toward eliminating the disease.

Nuradeen explained that while acute watery diarrhoea and sepsis remain the most common conditions among admitted children, malaria consistently ranks among the top three causes of illness, often occurring alongside other complications.

He said: “Last year (2025) alone, we managed almost 26,000 children in our inpatient therapeutic feeding centre. If you look at the morbidities, apart from malnutrition, acute watery diarrhoea is the leading condition, followed by sepsis, and then malaria. In many cases, malaria also presents as a co-morbidity”.

He noted that malnutrition weakens the immune system, making children more susceptible to severe malaria infections, while repeated or poorly treated malaria episodes can also lead to malnutrition due to loss of appetite, vomiting and poor nutrient intake.

He explained that malaria, caused by parasites transmitted through the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, remains both preventable and treatable despite its high burden.

He said MSF adopts a comprehensive approach to tackling malaria among malnourished children, including routine screening, early diagnosis and prompt treatment for all patients admitted into its facilities.

He further disclosed that all admitted children receive mosquito nets as part of their treatment kits, which they are encouraged to continue using after discharge to prevent reinfection.

“At our centres, every child is screened for malaria at entry. Any positive case is treated immediately, depending on whether it is severe or uncomplicated”, the Katsina acting MSF medical team leader added.

Highlighting the global burden of the disease, Nuradeen said Africa accounts for about 95 per cent of malaria cases and deaths worldwide, with Nigeria remaining one of the most affected countries.

He, however, acknowledged recent progress in malaria control, including the introduction of malaria vaccines in parts of Nigeria, noting that early data suggests a decline in cases where such interventions are combined with existing preventive measures.

“From our data across several states, we have seen a significant reduction in malaria cases between 2024 and 2025. This shows that eliminating malaria is achievable if we sustain and scale up interventions”, he said.