The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire says all hands must be on deck to eliminate malaria from Taraba State.
The Minister made the assertion on Wednesday in Jalingo, during the flag-off of Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC).
He said media practitioners, traditional and religious leaders have the responsibility of sensitising residents on the need to eliminate malaria
To achieve this, the media must assist in spreading information on hanging and sleeping inside nets, the preventive treatment for pregnant women and the utilization of other health interventions for malaria, the minister said.
Speaking through the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Taraba, Dr. Aisha Adamu, Ehanire called on traditional and religious leaders to go the extra mile to assist in encouraging people to sleep inside mosquito-treated nets.
“As part of the planning process for the campaign, a series of meetings have taken place including the engagement with all stakeholders in the state.”
He said the 2021 World Malaria report presents “a gloomy picture of Nigeria’s malaria elimination efforts, indicating it is off track towards its attainment of the Global Technical Strategy (GTS) 2016-2030 target of reducing malaria deaths and disease by at least 40%.”
He said despite the challenges, the reports also provided suggestions on what is needed to get Nigeria back on track and improve the global malaria response.
Even with the unpleasant report, we are still resolute in our quest for a malaria-free Nigeria hence the need to implement ITN mass campaigns in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“If we are committed in our efforts we can join hands to eliminate malaria in the continent of Africa and indeed Nigeria to achieve a malaria-free Taraba state and a malaria-free Nigeria”.
