The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, has asserted that eliminating malaria is a priority agenda of the Tinubu Administration, in recognition of its socio-economic necessity.
The Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations in the ministry, Alaba Balogun, said in a press release that Salako revealed this during a courtesy visit by a team from Malaria Consortium, led by the National Coordinator, National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), Dr. Nnenna Ogbulafor.
Addressing the delegation, the minister explained the significant gains in efforts of the government to eliminate malaria through its Sector Wide Approach (SWAp) initiative 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 initiative, Salako pointed out that the adoption of digital in health initiative, has been very critical to creating a central repository centre where information around health data can be accessed.
He said: “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.”
While appreciating the positive feedbacks received from the Malaria Consortium affirming these efforts by the government at the state levels, Salako further highlighted the impact of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund targeted at delivering primary healthcare across the country.
He said: “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.”
Recognising Malaria Consortium as a global brand in addressing challenges around malaria particularly in a country like Nigeria, he said the ministry valued its 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, apprised the minister on the 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 organisation and stakeholders in Kano and Osun states, Maxwell reported the efficacy of using different approaches of research and methodology in malaria case management to achieve results.
He said: “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.”
