The Enugu State government, on Wednesday, inaugurated a free malaria treatment initiative aimed at controlling and reducing the surge of malaria in the state.

The event was organised by the state ministry of health in collaboration with the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) and the Excellence Community Education Welfare Scheme (ECEWS).

It was supported through the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Lives and Livelihood Fund Project.

During the inauguration, Emmanuel Obi, the state commissioner for health, stated that Enugu had last received malaria elimination intervention in 2014 and 2015.

He said that with the new initiative, every healthcare facility in the state now had free test kits and anti-malaria drugs available to residents at no cost.

Mr Obi commended Gov. Peter Mbah for making the initiative possible and mentioned that the IMPACTS Project, launched in 2018 and implemented in various Nigerian states, came into effect in Enugu in 2021.

He also emphasised the importance of environmental management and control in addressing malaria.

Nnenna Ogbulafor, national coordinator of the malaria elimination programme, highlighted that Nigeria had the highest malaria burden, contributing to 27 per cent of global cases and 30 per cent of deaths.

She noted that malaria statistics in Enugu State stood at 24 per cent, which remained high, urging residents to take full advantage of the free services provided.

Chinwe Anibeze, permanent secretary of the state ministry of health, spoke about the positive changes brought by the IMPACTS Project and lauded Mr Mbah for his commitment to funding the project.

Ms Anibeze, represented by Uchechukwu Okenwa, director of public health and disease control, added that treated mosquito nets would be provided to help reduce the mosquito population in Enugu.

Andy Eyo, CEO of ECEWS, expressed his organisation’s commitment to supporting malaria testing and treatment through the two-year intervention.

He also thanked the ministry of health for its collaboration.

His Royal Majesty, Igwe Samuel Asadu, chairman of the Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council, vowed to disseminate the message to rural communities, urging pregnant women and residents to take advantage of the free malaria treatment.

Ifeoma Otiji, coordinator of the Enugu state malaria elimination programme, called the inauguration the beginning of a new era in malaria management in the state.

She also shared that malaria prevalence in Enugu had increased from 10.5 per cent in 2015 to 24 per cent in 2022.

She said that the goal was to reduce it to the pre-elimination stage, in alignment with national strategies.

(NAN)