Kano — The federal government plans to distribute 63 million nets between the end of this year and next year, with the provision of two per household, and to provide treatment for case management for every case of malaria in every public hospital in the country free of charge.

Apart from this, the government has also started drastic measures to eradicate malaria with assistance from Cuba.

This was revealed by the minister of health, Professor Babatunde Osotimehin, during the facilities assessment visit by him and the minister of special duties, Amb. Ibrahim Musa Kazaure, to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Kano.

Prof. Osotimehin reiterated the federal government effort to ensure the provision of effective health care delivery in the country, because it is part of the 7-point Agenda of the administration of Umaru Musa Yar'Adua to improve health care delivery through provision of facilities that are competing with those in hospitals abroad.

He said the purpose of their visit to the teaching hospital was to assess the facilities, saying the assessment will also pave way for the visit of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua to the hospital.

The minister expressed his happiness with the chief medical director of the hospital, Dr. Abdulhamid Isa Dutse, for what he has been able to do, not only in terms of technology, but also in of training because training is very crucial to sustainability of the technologies provided at AKTH. He assured Nigerians that they can come to the hospital and get the very best that they get anywhere of the world.

Also, the minister of special duties, Amb. Ibrahim Musa Kazaure, said that by what they witnessed in the hospital in terms of its staff and facilities, there is no need for the Nigerians to go abroad for treatment in countries such as Cairo, South Africa or India, because whatever is in the foreign hospital it is here, and the same people who are Nigerians are treating the patients.

Amb. Kazaure stated that no other government apart from that of Umaru Yar'Adua was provided such facilities in the hospital, since the independence. He called on the Nigerians to admit themselves in the hospital rather than to go abroad.