The Nasarawa government says efforts towards eliminating malaria in the state have helped in reducing its spread to less than 14 per cent.

The health commissioner in the state, Ahmed Yahaya, at a media parley on Sunday in Lafia, said the government recently distributed more than two million treated nets in the state to achieve a zero malaria target.

He called on residents of the state to regularly go for malaria tests to ascertain their status before treatment to avoid complications.

Mr Yahaya said since the disease was responsible for the death of many people, the state government was investing towards eliminating it.

He warned that not all fever that are malaria related and advised residents against self medication.

He further advised residents to visit any health facility in the state for testing and subsequent treatment if tested positive.

“The uncomplicated malaria cases can be handled by primary healthcare centres while severe cases would be handled at the secondary and tertiary facilities,” he said.

Mr Yahaya advised the public to sleep under treated nets, adding that such practice is currently the best method to prevent malaria.

Earlier, the director of public health, Ibrahim Alhassan, said that the media parley was to create awareness on how to reduce the burden of malaria in the state.

The director commended journalists for their support to the campaign against malaria in the state and  appealed for more to enable them to win the fight.

(NAN)