Reducing malaria our priority — Ondo govt

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Reducing malaria our priority — Ondo govt

Ondo State Government, yesterday, said it is committed to reducing malaria scourge in the state.

Addressing newsmen as part of activities marking the 2023 World Malaria Day, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, expressed concern that malaria had become a burden to some countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.

He said that statistics had shown that the disease constituted more than 60 per cent of all medical cases presented at health facilities in the sub-region.

The commissioner said that the state government had, in the past, distributed about three million insecticide-treated nets to all the households in the 18 local government areas (LGAs) in the state to reduce malaria prevalence.

He said: “The follow up has yielded result, as evidenced by the newly-released report by National Malaria Indicator Survey, 2021, released in 2023.

“It shows that the prevalence of malaria in the state has fallen from 34 per cent to 27 per cent.

“Government will continue to invest in the reduction of prevalence of malaria in the state through channeling more resources, both funds and materials, to the fight.

“The state government has been partnering with civil society organisations across the 18 LGAs to sensitise and create awareness to the citizens at the grassroots on the prevention of malaria.”