The Commissioner for Health, Anambra State, Dr Afam Obidike, says the state ranks second among the states with the lowest prevalence of malaria in the country.

Mr Obidike made the disclosure in an interview with journalists in Awka to assess the impact of the interventions in the health sector by Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration.

He said that according to the current National Malaria Survey, Lagos State had the lowest malaria prevalence with three per cent while Anambra ranked second lowest with five per cent.

The commissioner also said that the District Health Information System of 2023 indicated that under-five deaths due to malaria had continued to decrease in Anambra.

According to him, Anambra recorded 4.6 per cent of under-five mortality due to malaria in 2020, 4.4 per cent in 2021, 3.5 per cent in 2022 and 0.96 per cent in 2023.

“Anambra State was able to achieve a reduction in malaria prevalence with the desilting of drains across the state and the distribution of 3.8 million mosquito nets in partnership with the malaria consortium. The rate of net use has increased in Anambra from 27 per cent to 57 per cent which is above the national average of 37 per cent.

“In the Free Antenatal Care Scheme introduced by the state government, pregnant women are given the sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine drug to treat malaria during pregnancy.

“Our goal is to make Anambra the lowest state with malaria prevalence in Nigeria and we are working tirelessly to achieve that,” he said.

Mr Obidike said that 6,000 deliveries and 120 caesarean sections were recorded since Mr Soludo inaugurated the free antenatal care and delivery scheme for pregnant women in September 2023.

He said that the state government was recruiting more health workers, upgrading and equipping health facilities to ensure unhindered access to quality and affordable healthcare in the state.

(NAN)