Following the concerted effort of the Jigawa State government, international partners, and other stakeholders, the prevalence of malaria cases in the state has reduced from 39.6 per cent in 2013 to 24.7 per cent in the 2022 survey report.
Governor Umar Namadi revealed this at the flagging off of the distribution of 3.2 million Insecticide Treated Mosquito Nets held at Katanga village in Kiyawa local government area of the state.
The flag-off of the exercise was carried out in collaboration with Global Fund partners to tackle the scourge of Malaria disease in the state. Governor Namadi described the partner‘s intervention as a welcome development.
He said malaria is one of the major diseases creating enormous challenges and burdens in the state‘s public healthcare, and that they are ever ready to collaborate with any partner to tackle the disease.
“We are not only going to support Global Fund, but we must prepare to maintain what they are doing because they can‘t provide such service forever, and government work for people must remain forever”.
“We increased our annual health budgets in 2024; we commenced upgrading our hospitals and employed 1,000 health workers, including doctors. We introduced health insurance for the vulnerable and the less privileged within one year to ensure access to basic healthcare services for all of our people regarding their socio-economic status”.
The governor called on the general public to make use of mosquito nets to reduce the prevalence of malaria cases, which kills children and pregnant women more than any other disease in the state.
In his speech at the occasion, the head of the Global Fund in Nigeria, Dr Jim Thomas, said that fighting against malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV is one of the key areas they focus on in Nigeria.
He added that, in achieving the desired goals, they increased their budget for 2024-2026 for more expanded intervention.
Dr Jim added that the distribution of mosquito nets is part of the project they are doing to fight malaria and that the kind of cooperation they received in Jigawa State is very encouraging and commendable.
“Our consistent support in Nigeria has contributed to reducing Malaria prevalence from 42 per cent in 2010 to 27 per cent in 2015 and 22 per cent in 2021, according to the National Malaria Indicator”, he stated.
