By Emmanuella Oghenetega
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako has said that eliminating malaria is a priority agenda in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s led administration.
He made the declaration during a courtesy visit by a team from Malaria Consortium, led by the National Coordinator, National Malaria Elimination Progamme (NMEP), Dr. Nnenna Ogbulafor visited him.
According to the minister, giving priority to the fight against malaria was in recognition of its socio- economic necessity.
In a statement signed by Alaba Balogun,
Deputy Director, Information and Public Relations, state that the minister stated government position while addressing the delegation, adding that he explained the significant gains in efforts of government to eliminate malaria through its Sector Wide Approach ( SWAp) inititative that promotes collaboration between the Federal Government and its sub-national governments.
This approach, he stated, enabled the Ministry to track annual operations and implementation plans at state levels with a one voice one direction healthcare policy.
Supporting this SWAp inititative, Dr. Salako pointed out that the adoption of digital in health initiative had been very critical to creating a central repository centre where information around health data can be accessed.
“We have the digital in health initiative. It is a nationwide initiative to digitalize our system at all levels of healthcare; primary, secondary and tertiary”; the Minister added.
While appreciating the positive feedbacks received from malaria consortium affirming these efforts by the government at the state levels, Dr. Salako further highlighted the impact of Basic Healthcare Provision Fund
targeted at delivering primary healthcare across the country.
“The Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, I believe, covers malaria. And in this Government, the management of that fund has been reorganised. We are making the funds available more regularly.
“I am happy that this what you are observing from the field. I want to assure you that as a country, we will continue to cherish and support Malaria Consortium to deliver on your mandate.
“And I will continue to value the feedback from your own independent assessment of the implementation, effectiveness and the impact that these programs are making in our communities “, Dr. Salako further stated.
Recognising Malaria Consortium as a global brand in addressing challenges around malaria particularly in a country like Nigeria, the Minister said the ministry valued it’s crucial role as a partner and collaborator in its agenda to eliminate malaria.
During his briefings, the Director of Programme, Malaria Consortium, Dr. Kolawole Maxwell informed the minister of outcome of its research on malaria cum assessment visits to both Northern and Southern parts of the country.
Highlighting the importance of collaboration between its organization and stakeholders in Kano and Osun States, Dr. Maxwell reported the efficacy of using different approaches of research and methodology in malaria case management to achieve results.
“We are working with stakeholders to understand what are the incentives and barriers for use of nets. That is the first phase. The second phase is we are working with them to now use those findings to create what we call prototypes of solutions”, he further asserted.
