Gov Otti’s Wife Champions Malaria Elimination Programme In Abia

Abia State governor’s wife, Mrs Priscilla Otti, has decried the high burden of malaria in the state while committing to tireless effort towards achieving the goal of zero malaria in the state by 2025.

Mrs Otti, who is a Malaria Ambassador to PanAfricare, a non-profit organisation, said the attainment of zero malaria was achievable through collective effort.

The governor’s wife, who made the commitment at the 2024 World Malaria Day celebration in Abia State, with the theme; “Accelerating the Fight Against Malaria for a More Equitable World”, said the state government will ensure that the new malaria vaccine is brought to the state when it arrives Nigeria.

“It concerns us to learn that Abia State is currently listed among regions grappling with a high burden of malaria. However, I can assure you that by the time we convene for next year’s Malaria Day commemoration, Abia will have shed this label.

“We will labour tirelessly, round the clock, to achieve this goal. We will initiate the distribution of insecticide treated mosquito nets, engage in vigorous enlightenment campaigns, especially in our rural areas,” Mrs Otti stated.

Also, speaking at the event, the permanent secretary, Abia State ministry of health, Dr. Ifeyinwa Blossom Uma-Kalu, said: “As we celebrate the 2024 world malaria day today, let us accelerate the fight against malaria for a more equitable world.”

Painting a mental picture about the danger of malaria, Dr. Uma-Kalu, further said: “ln the year 2013, while travelling to a university in the South-East, I sighted a billboard that caught my attention in a very emotional way. Standing tall at one of the intersections on the highway, was this large billboard which had an unusual picture of a large-size mosquito with a baby strapped to its back and taking flight with the baby.

“The billboard also had the image of the mother of the child as she sat by the roadside engrossed with her petty trading on fruits and totally oblivious to the peril her child was facing. The most shocking aspect of the billboard was the inscription beneath the images, written in pidgin English saying: “No let Malaria thief your pikin!”. This inscription is a
wake-up call to all.”

LEADERSHIP reports that Abia is one of the States selected by the World Bank for implementation of the IMPACT project, a joint commitment of the federal, some state governments and the World Bank.

The project is aimed at promoting the uptake of malaria prevention and treatment services, especially in rural communities where the burden of malaria is the greatest in Abia State.

The IMPACT project director for the PanAfricare field office, Dr.Madukwe Okechukwu Ojoemena, said the project is actually a World Bank project that was set up to address malaria problem, adding that the PanAfricare was successful in the bid for the execution of the project in collaboration with the state government.

“So we are collaborating with the state through the state implementation unit of the IMPACT project to implement the project in Abia State. The essence was to assist the state in various aspects. We are working in 292 health facilities in the state to ensure that the staff there are trained on treatment and prevention of malaria and also to ensure that they are able to generate data,” he explained.

The PanAfricare country director, Dr Patrick Adah, said the project is a five-year project (2021-2025) with three-year implementation (2023-2025), targeting pregnant women and under-five children, to ensure that the burden of malaria is reduced in the state.

He said the IMPACT project is actually implemented in about 13 states, but the World Bank is implementing in five or six states now.

“The project is targeting pregnant women and children under five years, to reduce the impact of malaria as well as infant and maternal mortality,” he added.