Yobe healthcare board urges more PPP in fighting malaria
Story from Sa’adatu Maina, Damaturu
The Executive Secretary, Yobe State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr Babagana Kundi Machina, has appealed for more Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) to mobilise adequate resources to contain malaria in the state and Nigeria at large.
Machina made the call in a press briefing held during the celebration of the 2022 World Malaria Day.
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He said “I wish to call on all of us to double our efforts and encourage the private sector to commit more resources to support the fight against malaria.
The huge resources required to combat malaria in the country can only be effectively mobilised with the contributions of both the government, RBM partners, philanthropists, and the private sector.”
Stressing that all that needs to be done must be done to sustain and improve the tempo in the fight against malaria.
“This tempo needs to be sustained. I implore us to strive towards effective leadership and partnership as this is what will give the needed leverage to free Nigeria and indeed Africa from malaria,” he stated further.
According to him, Yobe State has made huge progress in the fight against malaria since 2013, resulting in a significant reduction in the malaria burden.
“The 2013 NDHS shows that malaria is now responsible for 2 out of 10 deaths in children less than 5 years, as against 30% in previous years.
“Furthermore, the NMIS 2015 shows a remarkable fall in malaria prevalence from 42% to 27%, which is a commendable stride in the government’s efforts to stem malaria.
“In 2019, Yobe State government and partners distributed two million, two hundred thousand (2.2M) Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) through mass campaigns across the 17 LGAs of the State. Similarly, this year the Yobe State government, NMEP and malaria partners have concluded plans for a mass ITNs replacement campaign scheduled from July – August 2022 in all the 17 local government areas.
“The state along with NMEP and partners have also planned to conduct the third round of Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) across the 17 local government areas.
“All these preventive measures are to protect our people from the scourge of malaria in communities and also to reduce morbidity and mortality among children under five years and pregnant mothers,” Machina explained.
