Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Enugu State Government says it will partner with the Association of Civil Society Organisations in Malaria Control, Immunisation and Nutrition (ACOMIN), to end infectious diseases in the state.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Emmanuel Obi, disclosed this when ACOMIN, Enugu Chapter paid him a courtesy visit in his office.
He told the association that the state government was doing its best to eradicate malaria through signing up to all the guidelines and policy documents on prevention and treatment of malaria in Nigeria.
Obi explained that the state follows those guidelines and does everything that was possible by reporting on necessary data that would put the state under control of malaria.
He explained that the state had so far, controlled the incidents of malaria, malnutrition to the barest minimum.
“I know that the National body is pushing to move from control to total eradication of malaria in the country because anything that concerned the control of infectious disease, I am highly involved as a member of the health council.
“We have joined other states and the national to do all it takes to be able to control and push malaria out of the state,” he said.
He, however, advised Enugu residents that malaria remained a disease with high morbidity in Nigeria and caused by mosquito bites that usually come out at night.
“This mosquito carried pathogen that causes malaria.
“People should avoid excessive contact with those mosquitoes to reduce the existence of malaria by closing their doors and windows and sleep under treated insecticide net.
“The citizens should practice those things that keep mosquitoes away from their homes because mosquitoes cause social economic effects.”
Obi added that the state had engaged in a lot of sensitisation programmes and trained people on prevention of malaria.
In her speech, the State Coordinator of ACOMIN, Florence Ifeanyi-Aneke, said that the visit was to seek the ministry’s collaboration and partnership especially in the area of infectious diseases.
She said the group was willing to partner with the ministry to mitigate the impact of malaria, promote immunisation and better nutrition in the state.
Aneke said the association would also assist in the monitoring of health facilities in communities across the state.
“We shall be glad to partner with the ministry in celebration of special days especially World Malaria Day, which is celebrated every 25th April,” she said.
ACOMIN is the national network of civil society organisations working on the prevention, treatment and mitigation of the impact of malaria, as well as the promotion of immunisation and better nutrition in Nigeria.
It has visibility across the 36 states, including FCT.
