In line with socio- economic necessity, the Federal Government through the Honourable Minister of State for Health & Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako has asserted that eliminating malaria is a priority agenda in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's led administration.
He made the remark during a courtesy vîsit by a team from Malaria Consortium led by the National Coordinator, National Malaria Elimination Progamme (NMEP), Dr. Nnenna Ogbulafor.
The Minister told the team the significant gains the efforts of the government to eliminate malaria through its Sector Wide Approach (SWAp) inititative that promotes collaboration between the Federal Government and its sub-national Governments.
This approach, he said, enabled the Ministry to track annual operations and implementation plans at state levels with a one voice one direction healthcare policy.
Supporting this SWAp inititative, Dr. Salako, according to a statement by Alaba Balogun, Deputy Director, Information & Public Relations, pointed out that the adoption of digital in health initiative, has been very critical to creating a central repository centre where information around health data can be accessed.
"We have the digital in health initiative. It is a nationwide initiative to digitalize our system at all levels of healthcare; primary, secondary and tertiary"; the Minister added.
While appreciating the positive feedbacks received from Malaria Consortium affirming these efforts by the government at the state levels; Dr. Salako further highlighted the impact of Basic Healthcare Provision Fund
targeted at delivering primary healthcare across the country.
"The Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, I believe, covers malaria. And in this Government, the management of that fund has been reorganised. We are making the funds available more regularly.
"I am happy that this what you are observing from the field. I want to assure you that as a country, we will continue to cherish and support Malaria Consortium to deliver on your mandate.
"And i will continue to value the feedback from your own independent assessment of the implementation, effectiveness and the impact that these programs are making in our communities ", Dr. Salako further stated.
Recognising Malaria Consortium as a global brand in addressing challenges around malaria particularly in a country like Nigeria; the Honourable Minister said the Ministry valued it's crucial role as a partner and collaborator in its agenda to eliminate malaria.
During his briefings, the Director Programme Malaria Consortium, Dr. Kolawole Maxwell briefed the Honourable Minister on outcome of its research on malaria cum assessment visits to both Northern and Southern parts of the country.
Highlighting the importance of collaboration between its Organization and stakeholders in Kano and Osun States; Dr. Maxwell reported the efficacy of using different approaches of research and methodology in malaria case management to achieve results.
"We are working with stakeholders to understand what are the incentives and barriers for use of nets. That is the first phase. The second phase is we are working with them to now use those findings to create what we call prototypes of solutions", he further asserted.