Achieving success in malaria elimination will help reduce poverty

Achieving success in eliminating malaria will go a long way in reducing the incidence of poverty among Nigerians.

Malaria, which is endemic to countries in sub-Saharan African, is a deadly disease killing thousands of people yearly, particularly children and pregnant women.

According to Dominic Ukpong, commissioner for health in Akwa Ibom State, malaria has presented huge burden on the family and the economy, adding that concerted efforts must be made to ensure the elimination of the disease.

Ukpong who spoke at a service to mark this year’s World Malaria Day celebration said the distribution of Long Lasting Insecticide Nets (LLNs) by the state government was aimed at eliminating malaria but however frowned at non-utilisation of the nets appropriately.

Represented by Comfort Achibong, permanent secretary in the ministry of health urged the people to sleep inside Long Lasting Insecticide Nets to reduce the incidence of malaria on the populace.

“Your lives are more important than water leaves, when you are given LLNs, sleep inside the net, do not use it to cover your water leaves,’’ he said.

“Children should be encouraged to sleep inside LLNs, if malaria is checked, it is possible to end poverty,’’ he said.

In his remarks, John Orok, programme manager, malaria elimination unit in the ministry of health urged pregnant women avail themselves of the services provided by health workers in health centres and hospitals across the state.

Orok said state government has provided free drugs for the treatment of malaria among pregnant woman and children maintaining that testing should be carried out before treatment.

He thanked the partners for supporting the malaria elimination programme saying that the involvement of key stakeholders was needed for the success of malaria elimination programme.

The theme of this year’s World Malaria Day celebration is ‘End Malaria for Good, it’s achievable.’’