USAID, Global Health Supply Chain and Breakthrough Action Nigeria visit Commissioner of Information and Communication

BY CHRISTY TAMAI

Plateau State Commissioner of Information and communication, Hon. Musa Ashoms has stated that Malaria is a major public health issue with grave implications for national development.

He made this statement when he received a team from the United States Government President Malaria Initiative, Global Health Supply Chain, Breakthrough Action Nigeria and State Ministry of Health at his office at the JD Gomwalk Secretariat, Jos.

Ashoms said Malaria had taken a lot of lives, cut short a lot of dreams and that the ministry should be the one looking for the team and not the other way round, in terms of collaboration.

He added that the Ministry was happy with the visit because the government, giving indication that the government was poised to resolve many issues relating to public health, among which was malaria.

Ashoms said for Plateau State, it is time to say no to malaria, by means of fighting it through the use of treated nets, and that the sole responsibility of the ministry was to inform Plateau people adequately.

Speaking further, Ashoms said the visit was very important  which was why journalists came in their numbers to report on it.

He said it was the government’s desire to have a healthy citizenry, hence the campaign was well received.

Ashoms appreciated the team for the provision of 2.9 million nets which would be distributed to the people of Plateau, giving the assurance that the ministry would collaborate with the team to ensure that the citizens were well informed.

Speaking earlier was the Senior Program Officer, Breakthrough Action Nigeria, Dr. Olusola Adeoye, who said Malaria still remained a big challenge in the state, explaining that from last survey conducted in Nigeria, malaria in Plateau was endemic.

She said the World Health Organization had shown that when people used Insecticide Treated Nets (ITN ) consistently every night, all year round, they would not get malaria.

Dr. Olusola said the team was being sponsored by USAID, which was being supported by the UK funded case malaria foundation to distribute treated nets to every household in Plateau.

She said the team needed the support of the ministry in areas like creating awareness on the campaign, promotion of the use of treated nets, through the use of all media stations be it electronic and print for proper dissemination of the campaign messages.

She also sought the ministry’s assistance in the mobilization of the media, coordination of media parley where the team would provide clarification on any misconception on the use of nets.

The highpoint of the visit was the presentation of the timeline of the campaign to the state information and communication commissioner.