Anambra State Government has called for sustained efforts in the drive to eliminate the burden of malaria across the state.
Speaking in Awka at a symbolic ceremony to mark this year’s World Malaria Day, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Vincent Okpala said Governor Willie Obiano’s administration through various interventions has made commendable milestones in tackling the disease.
World Malaria Day was set aside by the international Community to evaluate efforts made in controlling malaria and also celebrate the successes recorded in eliminating the disease.
According to the Commissioner, malaria affected more than two hundred and twenty eight million people globally in 2019 with four hundred and five thousand deaths, out of which Nigeria has twenty seven percent of the burden and twenty two percent of the deaths, regretting that Nigeria has the worst burden in Sub-Saharan Africa.
He noted however that the country has made significant gains in eliminating the disease by reducing the prevalence from twenty-seven percent in 2015 to twenty three percent in 2018.
Dr Okpala disclosed that the state through Zero Malaria Starts With me and Draw the Line Against Malaria programmes, made significant gains in tackling the disease, adding that with high coverage in distribution of long lasting mosquito treated nets and impact of primary health services through rehabilitation of primary health centres, the drive has been sustained across the state.
He explained that Anambra Health Insurance Scheme has equally given vulnerable people in the three hundred and twenty-six political wards of the state easy access to quality and affordable healthcare services and called on people of the state to join in drawing line against malaria to reduce the scourge.
The theme of this year’s Day is “Zero Malaria-Draw the Line Against malaria “while the slogan is “Stand up, Take Action”.
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