World Malaria Day: Prof. Onyebuchi Says Nigeria Made Progress In Malaria Elimination

Posted by: Channels Television Posted date: April 25, 2014

As the world commemorate the Annual Malaria Day, attention has been drawn to the need for a renewed commitment towards its control, elimination and ultimate eradication in order to avoid undue reversal of efforts.
During the celebration in Abia State at the Women Development Centre, Umuahia, the Minister of Helath, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, told reporters that Nigeria had made a tremendous progress in elimination of Malaria and would continue to do so until it is totally reduced to zero percentage.
In his speech, Governor Theodore Orji elucidates on the efforts the state had made so far to minimise the scourge and hinted that health care would continue to be a priority for his administration.
A Fight For All Nigerians
Stakeholders on health, community leaders, women organisation and dignitaries from all walks of life gathered at the Women Development Centre, Umuahia to mark the World Malaria Day celebration.
An occasion which offers the opportunity to interact and share experiences as well as strategise on the ongoing efforts to eliminate malaria.
For the Minister of Health, “prevention of malaria is a fight for all Nigerians and notwithstanding the billions of Naira that has been committed in its eradication; government is not relenting as it is mapping out new strategy to fight it. The State government, through its Malaria Elimination Programme, has put up strategies in several thematic areas in order to prevent malaria.
Donor partners and stakeholders on malaria prevention also stressed the need for more commitment towards eradication and effort to tackle the challenge of utilisation of some of the measures that had been adopted in prevention of malaria.
The office of the wife of the Abia State Governor, Mercy Orji, was fully involved in the celebration as the office organised a road show and rally demonstrating the need to sleep under treated insecticides nets to prevent malaria.
The Theme for this year Malaria Day Celebration “Invest in the Future “Defeat Malaria” is significant and a clarion call for policy makers and citizens to work together in protecting the children, the future generation, against Malaria.