The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced a $2.3 million commitment to purchase malaria treatment tablets, marking a significant boost for public health efforts in Nigeria.
The announcement was made in a statement issued by the U.S. embassy in Abuja on Tuesday, November 12.
The funding, facilitated through the U.S. Government’s President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), will be used to procure 4.8 million doses of life-saving malaria tablets from Swiss Pharma (Swipha). This landmark partnership is expected to expand access to essential medicines in Nigeria and West Africa, underscoring the United States’ ongoing commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare infrastructure and improving health outcomes for vulnerable communities.
“The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has committed $2.3 million to procure 4.8 million doses of life-saving malaria tablets from Swipha,” the statement read. “This partnership will expand access to essential medicines in Nigeria and across West Africa.”
Nigeria has faced significant challenges in securing affordable, high-quality medicines due to the high cost of production and the struggle of local pharmaceutical companies to meet international quality standards. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), fewer than 10% of medicines manufactured in sub-Saharan Africa meet global standards, limiting local production and access to essential medicines, particularly for malaria and child health.
In response to these challenges, USAID has partnered with Swipha to support the company’s efforts to achieve World Health Organization (WHO) prequalification for sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine (SP) tablets, an important medicine for malaria prevention during pregnancy. Swipha has now become the first pharmaceutical company in Nigeria and West Africa to earn this prestigious WHO certification, marking a critical step forward in enhancing the region’s pharmaceutical capacity.
“USAID’s support was pivotal in helping us reach this milestone,” said Swipha Managing Director Frederic Lieutaud. “The WHO prequalification not only validates our commitment to producing high-quality medicines but also strengthens our ability to scale production and serve both local and international markets with trusted, essential medicines.”
With the WHO prequalification, Swipha is now well-positioned to supply these essential medicines to international donors and procurement agencies, further strengthening healthcare delivery in Nigeria and throughout West Africa.
This achievement is a significant boost to Nigeria’s healthcare system, as it enhances local manufacturing capacity and supports efforts to combat preventable diseases like malaria.
USAID Mission Director to Nigeria, Melissa Jones, praised the collaboration, stating that the achievement underscores the power of partnership in improving healthcare outcomes.
