Reuben Buhari
27 April 2008
Kaduna — From a high death rate of 300 per day, the death toll from malaria in Kaduna State has now reduced to 80 deaths daily, according to the state's Commissioner of Health, Dr. Yari Everton.
Also, Everton added that while a child dies every second in Africa from malaria, one million people altogether; out of an estimated 500 infected people annually, in Latin America, Asia, parts of Europe, Africa and Middle East also die from the scourge.
Speaking in Kaduna yesterday during an occasion organised to commemorate the World Malaria Day, the health commissioner said the disease which is prevalent among 40 percent of world population , according to statistics, has witnessed a drastic reduction in Kaduna State. This according to him, was due to the advent of the free healthcare services for pregnant women and children under the age of five currently being applied in the state.
He added that the state government, in a bid to further reduce the death toll and infection has budgeted N1 billion this year to fight the disease.
He said: "In order to succeed in this war against malaria, the state has developed a strategic plan tagged 'Road Map to Roll Back Malaria in Kaduna State'. This year alone Kaduna State Government has earmarked N1 billion to start the fight with the state government contributing N770 million while the 23 local government areas contribute the balance N230 million.
"The state government has procured large consignment of Artemisimin-based combination drugs for the treatment of malaria among pregnant women and children under the age of five. Plans are also underway to procure Insecticide Treated Mosquito Nets (ITNs) for the same group of people to protect them against mosquito bites.By the end of the year, we want every pregnant women and children under the age of five to be sleeping under insecticide treated nets.
"We have also embarked on the environmental control of the malaria vector, as the Kaduna State ministries of Environment, Local Government Affairs and Health, have combined to attack the residence of mosquito and its breeding area within the state in order to eliminate its breeding and thereby reduce its prevalence."
Dr Everton noted that World Malaria Day is not a day of gloom and fear but a day for determination and optimism as the global community believe that the fight against the scourge can be won with adequate collaboration of all partners and stakeholders at all levels.
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