Ekiti state government on Tuesday flagged off the distribution of anti-malaria drugs and commodities to over 200 health facilities across the 16 Local Government Areas of the State.
The World Bank project under the Immunization Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transformation Services (IMPACT) aimed at conquering the plague of malaria disease in the State.
The commissioner for Health, Dr Oyebanji Filani who is represented by the permanent secretary of the ministry, Mrs Olushola Gbenga-Igotun at the flagging off the distribution in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital on Tuesday, said the administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji was committed to the eradication of the malaria disease in the State.
The commissioner said the items would be given to residents freely when they approach the primary health facilities in their localities.
He elucidated that malaria has been identified to be one of the toughest diseases not only in the country but sub-Saharan Africa, adding that the commodities were procured to achieve effective management and treatment of the disease in the State.
He called on the officials at the 200 health facilities to be responsible to the people, especially at the grassroots who were mostly affected by malaria and as well keep proper records of the commodities as they were being distributed.
The commissioner admonished residents to take advantage of the opportunities by walking into these facilities where they would be tested and offered free drugs for malaria treatment, rather than engaging in self-medication.
He said, “We all know that malaria has been a tough war in sub-Saharan Africa and all energy is being put together to eradicate it in our society. It is a serious disease that should be defeated with support from all stakeholders.
“It is going to be in faces but what we are having now will cover 200 health facilities out of the 774 in the state. It is particularly for malaria treatment. We also have drugs that can be used at the secondary facilities to treat malaria.
“The tendency for our people to do self-medication for malaria treatment is there, but we want to stop this habit and we urge our people to approach the hospital in their area where they can be tested to know the kind of malaria we are looking at and the kind of drugs to use.
“I want to advise our people to approach these health facilities to get drugs free of charge for malaria treatment and make use of the opportunities provided by the governor. It is safer and effective for malaria management.”
On her part, the program manager of the project, Mrs Helen Bankole said the state alongside five other states of Lagos, Abia, Borno, Imo and Rivers were selected to be part of the project by the World Bank in a bid to defeat the malaria disease in the State.
“As of today, Ekiti is the first State on the World Bank-funded Malaria Project to have concluded the NSA-engagement and payment of mobilization fee culminating in the commodities distribution to 200 Health facilities that were selected based on their target population as specified by the project,” she said.
The General Manager, State Drug Management Agency, Michael Oyeniran warned the health officers against selling the drugs to the patients, saying it has been paid for by the government for the people to have access to it for free.
