Warns against diversion, sales of items.
Kogi state Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, has distributed free malaria drugs and diagnostic test kits worth over #4 billion Naira to all the health centres across the state to combat Malaria scourge.
Governor Ododo made the disclosure on Tuesday during the official flag off of the distribution of the items held in the government House Lokoja.
He said , the malaria scourge has been the most public health challenges that affect communities in Africa and Nigeria which should not be allowed to prevail.
He noted that kogi state, with 16% prevalence rate which is slightly hire than the National prevalence of 22% is still considered unacceptable to his administration and has put structures in place to totally eliminate the disease.
He however, reiterated his commitment to eradicate the malaria which according to survey kills over 5,970 persons globally while out of 4 deaths that occurred in Nigeria One is by Malaria, stressing that Nigeria alone contribute over 30% of the deaths.
He said this requires concerted effort by all the stakeholders to stem the tide.
He said kogi state under his watch will not be at the mercy of malaria, hence, his massive intervention programmes aimed at combating the disease.
He added that the importance of health care services to the people is great, as without it , the society cannot function properly, hinting that his government has made significant steps with the support of Islamic Development Bank, and other Development partners which brought about the distribution of these 15 trailers loads of anti malaria drugs and diagnostic test kits worth over #4bn.
He said these supplies will be distributed to 536 healthcare centres across the state including General Hospitals and four teaching hospitals in the state.
” We are doing this as an audacious attack on malaria. We are supplying 10,000 cartons of anti malaria drugs and test kits, one million doses for children and two million doses for adults and beyond this supplies, we are prepared to distribute over three Million long lasting treated mosquito nets across the 21 LGAs.”
He stressed that no initiative will succeed without the active support of the people and called on the stakeholders , the religious, traditiornal bodies , NGOs, health professionals to synergise with the government for the success of the campaign.
He warned against diversion, pilfering and sales of the items , as anybody caught manipulating the system would be appropriately sanctioned.
In a remark, the commissioner for Health, Dr. Abdullazeez Adams Adeiza commended the governor for his unprecedented commitment to the Health needs of the people and assured of using the items for the benefits of the people.
Adeiza added that the governor had created enabling environment for the conduct of clinical malaria chemotherapy which has significantly reduced maternal and child mortality and morbidity in the state
He assured him that all hands are on deck to ensure successful implementation of the campaign targeting at kicking out malaria out of kogi.
