Government is committed to malaria fight, says Sambo
The Federal Government is committed to the eradication of
malaria in the country, vice president, Mohammed Namadi Sambo, has told Ray
Chambers, the United Nations (UN) envoy on malaria.
The vice president, who received the UN delegation on behalf of
President Jonathan, said the Federal Government places high premium on good
health services, and expressed the desire of the country to be one of the 20
most developed nations by the year 2020.
“Such feat cannot be attained without addressing health issues.
Malaria is one of the health issues that need to be addressed,” he said.
Mr. Sambo informed the delegation on the current partnership
arrangement between the states and the Federal Government on health-related
issues, especially on polio, which had recorded tremendous success, and solicited
the co-operation and support of the United Nations envoy in addressing malaria.
He further stated that provision of treated nets were very
important in this direction, especially if malaria were to be eradicated.
Covered in nets
Mr. Chambers said his team’s mission was to assess what Nigeria
is doing on maternal mortality and recalled his previous meeting in Nigeria.
“With respect to malaria, as Nigeria goes, so does Africa,” he
said, adding that treated mosquito nets have provided the required progress in
combating the disease.
The UN official said all of Nigeria will soon be covered with
the provision of 70 million nets for distribution nationwide. “It is the single
largest health intervention, covering 140 – 150 million people with nets,” he
said.
Mr. Chambers said over the last 10 years, some 250,000 Nigerian
children die every year due to malaria infection and that such lives, as well
as N10 billion spent treating the illness, will be saved by 2015. He charged
the Federal Government to support the ministry of health in accomplishing this
objective.
In attendance were the Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu; Onno Ruhl, the
Country Director of World Bank; Agatha Lawson, and Alan Goth, senior adviser to
the Special Envoy.
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