Anambra State Government has called on Health workers, community/religious leaders, teachers, parents and youth groups to intensify advocacy and mobilize efforts to make malaria prevention a culture and not just a campaign.
This was the crux of the discussion at the press briefing held by the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike at the Tuberculosis (TB), Chest Clinic Data Operation Conference Room, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Hospital, Amaku, Awka.
The global theme for this year’s World Malaria Day Celebration is, “Malaria Ends with Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite.”
The government highlighted that in its efforts “Anambra now ranks second lowest in Nigeria for malaria prevalence, at just 5 percent nationally”.
Also, it stressed other activities put in place to combat the spread of malaria in the state which includes, “ensured widespread availability of antimalarial drugs, Artemisinin based Combination Therapies (ACTs) in our health facilities,
“Distributed 3.8 million insecticide-treated nets in partnership with the Malaria Consortium, increasing net usage from 27 percent to 58 percent, well above the national average.
“Expanded free antenatal care, ensuring pregnant women receive preventive doses of Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine as part of our state’s landmark Free Antenatal Care Scheme.
“Strengthened the Healthcare System by improving on data management, supportive supervision, building new hospitals and deploying telemedicine to handle cases remotely”.
The government, then, stated that these achievements demonstrated what was possible when government partners and communities unite against malaria.
“The fight against malaria begins at the grassroots level; every citizen has a role to play – whether it is sleeping inside a net, clearing stagnant water around homes or seeking prompt medical care when symptoms arise.”
The commissioner showed indices of the malaria effect on the wellbeing of the country while stating that we need to take the fight seriously, he said, “Nigeria bears the heaviest malaria burden of any country. In 2023, our nation accounted for about 25.9 percent of global malaria cases and 30.9 percent of malaria deaths.
“These statistics are more than numbers – they represent mothers who never returned home, children who never saw their fifth birthdays and families plunged into grief and economic hardship”.
The government outlined that in December 2024 Nigeria began rolling out malaria vaccine for the first time to combat the disease.
“The vaccine called R21/Matrix-M is the second to be approved by the WHO and given to children between five and 15 months old”.
He urged the people of the state to be resilient, determined and cooperative in the fight so that Anambra can be a malaria free state.
By Chris Chikelue/Azuka Nnabuife/Nnedinma Okeke
Chris,Azuka and Nnedinma are of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State
