As the world continues to battle the devastating impact of malaria on vulnerable populations, a landmark study led by Nigerian-born physician, public health expert, and Fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health, Dr. Olamide Asifat, sheds light on key socioeconomic factors driving malaria infections among under-five children in Nigeria.
Despite various intervention efforts—including insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying—Nigeria continues to bear the highest burden of malaria globally. According to Dr. Asifat, “Our study reveals that malaria remains deeply rooted in poverty and inequality, especially among under five children in rural Nigeria.”
The research, published in the Malaria Journal, draws insights from nationally representative data and identifies poverty, maternal education, and housing conditions as stronger predictors of malaria than previously assumed household sanitation facilities.
Featured as part of global malaria research on The Global Health Network, a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre, this work adds critical value to efforts aimed at designing contextually appropriate interventions in endemic regions. It also informs both national policy and global health strategy, highlighting Dr. Asifat’s leadership in advancing data-driven solutions to public health challenges.
The study investigates the relationship between malaria infections and household sanitation, revealing surprising trends that call for a shift in public health focus.
“While sanitation has been considered a major factor in disease prevention, our findings indicate that unimproved sanitation alone is not significantly associated with malaria infection among children under five,” Dr. Asifat said. Instead, the study highlights stronger links between malaria risk and factors such as household wealth, maternal education, rural residency, and housing structure.
Children living in the poorest households were over three times more likely to test positive for malaria compared to those in wealthier homes. Similarly, children from households with no maternal education and those residing in rural communities had a significantly higher risk of contracting the disease. “This underscores a powerful reality: malaria is not solely a medical concern—it is a deeply entrenched socioeconomic issue, where poverty, education, and living conditions shape the disease burden,” Asifat emphasized.
The study further found that children in homes built with unimproved wall materials were also more vulnerable. “The type of construction material used in building houses plays a crucial role in malaria prevention, likely due to exposure to mosquito entry,” he added.
Interestingly, despite longstanding assumptions about sanitation and disease, the study concluded that the use of unimproved sanitation facilities did not show a statistically significant link to malaria risk in this specific demographic. “This suggests that our public health strategies must go beyond sanitation alone when it comes to malaria prevention,” Dr. Asifat explained.
Drawing from these findings, Dr. Asifat emphasizes the need for a more holistic and equity-focused response to malaria control. “If we are serious about reducing the burden of malaria, we must invest in the broader social determinants of health,” he said. “This means improving housing conditions—particularly in rural areas—ensuring consistent access to insecticide-treated bed nets, and scaling up health education programs that reach mothers and caregivers. We must also prioritize educational opportunities for women and strengthen economic support systems that allow vulnerable households to access preventive tools and timely care. These are not just health interventions—they are human development imperatives.”
Dr. Asifat has a long-standing commitment to public health, particularly in underserved communities. His research consistently focuses on addressing health disparities and improving outcomes across all populations. He has presented his work at leading conferences, including the Tennessee Public Health Association Annual Conference as well as the American Public Health Association(APHA) Annual Meeting.
Speaking on the broader implications of the study, Asifat stressed the need for integrated, community-based interventions. “It’s not enough to hand out bed nets. We need targeted education, better housing infrastructure, and poverty alleviation strategies that work hand in hand with medical approaches.”
With malaria still killing hundreds of thousands annually—mostly children under five in sub-Saharan Africa—the urgency remains high. Asifat and his team hope that their findings will push stakeholders to rethink how they approach malaria control, especially in high-burden countries like Nigeria.
“Reducing malaria is not a one-size-fits-all issue,” Dr. Asifat concluded. “We need tailored strategies that reflect the real-world challenges our communities face. Only then can we truly begin to close the gap in health outcomes and give every child a fighting chance.”
