The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking to collaborate with the Cross River State government to eliminate malaria in the State.
This follows their visit this weekend to the leadership of the Cross River State Health Insurance Agency.
The visit was led by USAID Malaria Management Specialist in Nigeria, Dr. Veronica Momoh, who disclosed that they were desirous of collaborating with CRSHIA to strengthen stakeholder involvement in the fight against malaria in the State.
In this regard, Momoh said her team was in Calabar to get first-hand information about the State’s Health Insurance Scheme’s coverage for malaria in order to make informed decisions on possible ways of collaboration.
Momoh further stated that USAID, through the United States President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), contributes to the vision of Nigeria’s National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP).
She said that the PMI’s goal is to reduce malaria‐associated mortality, and reduce the incidence of severe malaria and associated complications.
Elaborating on PMI, the specialist stated that the aims were to reduce all causes of under‐five and maternal mortality by delivering quality services for management of malaria, its complications and prevention of malaria during pregnancy.
Some of these services, she mentioned, include the distribution of commodities like drugs, treated mosquito nets, etc.
Momoh maintained that they were already deepening the course of malaria elimination in the State and the country.
Responding, the director general of CRSHIA, Sir Godwin Iyala, informed the team that their Insurance Scheme covers malaria in entirety because of its high prevalence in tropical Africa.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. David Ushie briefed the USAID team about the progress of health management in the State.
