Ogun Aims to Become First Malaria-free State in Nigeria
The Commissioner for Health, Ogun state, Dr Tomi Coker, says that the state is aiming to become the first malaria-free state in Nigeria by the year 2030.
The Commissioner stated this on Wednesday at the Insecticide Treated Nets Campaign in the state, held at the conference room of the Ministry of Health, Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the state capital, Abeokuta.
She stressed the state’s desire to combat malaria effectively.
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She disclosed that the state is contemplating hiring carpenters in each ward of the local government to fix the insecticide-treated nets recently distributed in the state in every home.
2.5m treated mosquito nets are being distributed by the Society For Family Health in collaboration with the federal and state government, as well as other partners.
Coker pointed to Egypt as an example of how a zero-malaria status can be attainable.
“I am hoping that by 2030, Ogun State can be the first state that can be declared malaria-free.
“We have got a small population that is manageable, and if we work hard at it and put the right things in place, coupled with the new Malaria vaccine, we too can aspire and ensure that by 2030 even if we are not there, we must have moved very close to achieving this lofty dream.
“Egypt has shown us that it is possible, so we can follow in their footsteps too,” Coker said.
She moved to advise residents of the state to ensure they use the nets.
“What is also important to me now is to ensure that the people use the nets in their hands. How they will hang it now is what I am bothered about, I am thinking of deploying the resources that are already available within the system to support the people in hanging the net.
“I am also thinking that probably we can employ a carpenter for each ward for one month to help go around these households and help them in fixing these nets, we can do this if I can have the list of the households with the nets. If we don’t do this, we will still find out that we are still where we were,” Coker said.
