Malaria Control: Gov Bello Flags off 2023 Chemoprevention Exercise for Kogi State »

Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has pledged to scale up innovation and deploy tools to combat malaria, restating his commitment to eliminate the disease from the State.

He spoke through his Deputy, Chief (Dr) Edward Onoja during the flag-off of the 2023 Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention at Government House, on Wednesday.

The exercise which will feature free house-to-house mass drug administration for malaria prevention across the State is conducted by the Malaria Consortium in collaboration with the State Ministry of Health.

Remarking on behalf of the Governor, Chief Onoja explained that malaria remains the leading cause of mortality in Nigeria especially in children under five years and pregnant women, reaffirming Government’s resolve to tackle the scourge with a target of zero percent reduction.

He tasked stakeholders to undertake advocacy and sensitization campaigns while urging parents/guardians to avail their children/wards for the exercise to help curb the endemic disease in the State.

Earlier, the State Commissioner for Health, Hon Usman Zakari said the SMC for Kogi was piloted in 2021 and has since recorded appreciative success with support from the “Bello Care Initiative” and other partners.

Also in their separate remarks, SMC State Project Manager, Pharm Kenneth Maduka, WHO State Coordinator, Dr Markus Oluwadare, UNICEF representative, Dr Adeyeye Olumide, Executive Secretary, State Drug Management Agency, Mr Mahmoud Ozigi, amongst others, hailed Kogi State’s 25 to 16 percent malaria reduction rate in the State by the Malaria Indicator Survey(MIS) and commended Governor Bello for his investments in security for the success of the exercise and prosperity of the State.