As the Rivers state ministry of health fights to eliminate malaria
completely, the public has been urged to use mosquito treated nets to
stop the scourge of malaria.
Commissioner for Health, Professor Princewill Chike who stated this
while flagging off the world malaria day celebration with a malaria
clinic and malaria fair at the state secretariat, said only 32 percent
of Rivers people sleep under treated mosquito nets.
He pointed out that children under 5 years of age and pregnant women
are the most vulnerable to malaria, adding that people must be tested
with RDT before treatment by qualified and trained health personnel as
not all fever is malaria.
Rivers state have achieved a modest of 7.3 percent malaria prevalence
which is a near transition to the expected pre-elimination target of 5
percent. There is 75 percent ownership of nets in the state but only
32 percent utilization, so people should sleep inside insecticide
treated nets to achieve minimal success.
The state government have put in so much effort in intervention
strategies to fight malaria elimination, people should access safer
treatment in health facilities and pregnant women are encouraged to
register for antenatal and take their malaria preventive drugs during
pregnancy
Also speaking, state malaria program manager, Dr Mina Jaja urged
individuals, private sectors, and civil societies to join hands with
the ministry of health to stop the killer malaria across the state,
stressing that not all fever is caused by malaria.
Some beneficiaries who spoke to our reporter, thanked the ministry of
health for the free malaria fair that availed them the opportunity to
be tested and treated.