A leading academic at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA), Prof. Dele Abajingin, has urged government authorities and research institutions to embrace scientific innovations capable of offering fresh solutions to malaria, which remains one of Nigeria’s most stubborn health threats.
Prof. Abajingin, a Professor of Theoretical Physics in the Department of Physics and Electronics, delivered the charge on Tuesday, 25 November 2025, while presenting the university’s 51st Inaugural Lecture titled ‘A Low-Value Alternating Electromagnetic Field for Malaria Therapy: A New Dance Step to the Same Old Drummer’.
He said repeated use of conventional treatment methods has not reduced the burden of malaria, as drug resistance and related complications continue to rise.
He noted that malaria is still responsible for more than a million deaths every year, mostly among children, with hundreds of millions of infections recorded globally.
Beyond common symptoms like fever and chills, he explained, the illness can progress into severe anaemia, organ damage, and fatal complications if it is not properly managed.
The professor described how malaria transmission begins with a mosquito introducing Plasmodium parasites into the bloodstream, where they destroy red blood cells and convert hemes into haemozoin, creating conditions that favour parasite survival. Breaking this cycle, he said, remains central to improving treatment outcomes.
According to him, his research involving the application of an oscillating magnetic field (OMF) through a Helmholtz coil produced encouraging results.
He stated that the process disrupted haemozoin formation, reduced parasite levels, and boosted red blood cell count—evidence, he said, of the potential of electromagnetic-based therapy.
“In malaria therapy, the focus has always been on creating an environment where the haemozoin becomes toxic to the malaria parasites. This can only be achieved if the haemozoin is broken down into hemes. The results from these studies have shown that an Oscillating Magnetic Field can be used for this purpose.
“The product of this study, as we project its future usage, is seen in the form of a well-designed, unisex corporate electronic suit, which shall be named the ‘HELMHOLTZ JACKET’,” he said.
He observed that although mosquito nets, insecticides and antimalarial drugs are available, the spread of fake or substandard medications has worsened drug resistance among parasites, underlining the need for new treatment models.
He therefore called for heavy investment in laboratories, biomedical engineering partnerships and regulatory systems needed to support therapies like OMF.
Prof. Abajingin also highlighted the need to develop young scientific talent.
According to him, “Nigeria’s young scientists, technologists, biomedical engineers, health-system innovators, biophysicists, electrical engineers, and public health workers should be encouraged and empowered to explore such interdisciplinary frontiers. In doing so, the university and research institutions become engines of national innovation rather than mere consumers of imported technologies.”
Vice Chancellor Prof. Olugbenga Ige, who presided over the event, described inaugural lectures as opportunities for scholars to showcase their lifelong academic achievements.
He commended Prof. Abajingin for his dedication to research and for advancing the university’s academic reputation.
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