Wife of Abia Governor, Mrs. Priscilla Otti received a plaque from the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health Dr. Ify Umah-Kalu as malaria ambassador.
The wife of Abia State Governor, Mrs. Priscilla Otti, has called on governments and stakeholders in Abia to pursue vigorously with renewed commitment to eradicate malaria disease in the state.
The Governor’s wife made the call at the Michael Okpara Auditorium in Umuahia today, in an event organised by the state ministry of health in collaboration with PanAfricare Consortium to commemorates the 2024, world malaria day with the theme ‘accelerating the fight against malaria for more equitable world’.
Mrs. Otti said that studies revealed that Abia were among the state in the country with high malaria burden, with pregnant women and children under the age of 5 years mostly affected by the disease.
However, the Abia First Lady disclosed that government has started the distribution of malaria preventable treated nets, adding that the new malaria vaccine drug will soon arrive the state as efforts to combat the menace.
Mrs. Otti also reiterates that not all feverish conditions are symptoms of malaria and advised against self medication rather she implores that victims should visit any nearby primary healthcare centre for proper examination and treatment.
In her speech, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ngozi Okoronkwo said that the administration of Governor Otti is committed to revamping the health sector such that Abians will have access to quality health care services.
Dr. Okoronkwo, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Ify Umah-Kalu advised that while the government is making concerted efforts to distribute resources in the 17 LGAs of the state, we should not allow malaria to steal our live by using insecticide-treated mosquito nets and other provisions made available by the state government to eradicate the disease.
Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary, primary health care development agency, Dr. Kalu. U. Kalu, said that the agency has deployed various interventions for treatments and prevention of malaria and appeals to stakeholders to support government to eradicate malaria disease in our society.
Also in his remarks, the country director PanAfricare, Dr. Patrick Adah said that the methods deployed by PanAfricare in the fight against malaria include the use of mosquito-treated nets, of which over 500,000 would be distributed in Abia state, the use of ACT drugs, of which over 1.5 million would also be distributed in the state in addition to Rapid Diagnostic Tests kits that will be used in the treatment of malaria in the state.
Dr. Kalu, disclosed that Abia is one of the states in Nigeria where the project is being implemented adding that the state has joined hands with PanAfricare and World Bank in the fight to eradicate malaria disease.
The event concluded with the presentation of a plaque to Mrs. Priscillia Otti by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Ify Umah-Kalu, in recognition of her role as Malaria Ambassador.
