The Kwara State Government says it has commenced training of malaria case management and distribution of over 40 million commodities across the 16 local government areas of the state.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin, on the side lines of the training on Tuesday, Abdullahi Nageri, programme manager, State Malaria Elimination Programme, says the training for the first phase will include healthcare workers across the five public health facilities and six medical centres of tertiary institutions in Kwara State.
Nageri, explained that the training is geared towards improving the capacity of managers and other health professionals on malaria control programmes as well as understanding the key determinants of malaria epidemiology.
“The government had earlier released N82 million for Malaria-Free Kwara Initiative (MFKI), adding that already, free testing and treatment of Malaria for pregnant women and children under five years of age across the 16 LGAs are available,” he said.
The programme manager said that malaria has become so endemic, especially in the rural areas of the state, which calls for the initiative to ensure Malaria-free Kwara.
He says some of the tertiary medical institutions for first phase of the training included, Kwara State University, College of Nursing and Midwifery, Kwara Polytechnic, University of Ilorin, College of Education technical Lafiagi and College of Health Technology Offa.
Nageri, further said that the training will cover 56 unsupported Public Primary Health facilities including General Hospital Ilorin, General Hospital Okuta and Cottage Hospital ILesha Baruba among others.
Also speaking, Oluwatosin Fakayode, medical doctor and director public Health, Kwara State Ministry of Health posited that malaria remains public health concern in the state. “There are highest cases of the disease at the local government level, and that six percent of outpatient are people down with the disease.”
“One in every three people taking sick absence from work is as a result of malaria,” he said.
Fakayode, equally said that the training will afford participants the knowledge of proper diagnosing, investigating and treatment of malaria.
According to him, the state government under the leadership of Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has ensured malaria testing and treatment for free.
Some of the malaria commodities distributed includes; surphurdoxine pyratamine(SP) for prevention of Malarial in pregnancy, Surgical Glove, Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets and Artesunate Injection for Severe Malaria.
SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin
