The Kaduna State government on Tuesday said it recorded a two per cent reduction in under-five mortality rate.

The Commissioner for Health, Amina Mohammed-Baloni, said this during a news conference to mark 2023 World Malaria Day with the theme “Time to Deliver Zero Malaria; Invest, Innovate, Implement.”

Represented by the permanent secretary, Ministry of Health, Adamu Mansir, the commissioner said the state also achieved a 68 per cent refill rate order for all antimalarial commodities.

According to her, there is also a reduction in the malaria test positivity rate from 33 per cent (NDHS 2018) to 16 per cent in 2021 (MIS 2021).

She said, “We have achieved 68 per cent refill rate order for all antimalarial commodities (DHIS), and a reduction of malaria test positivity rate from 33 per cent (NDHS 2018) to 16 per cent in 2021 (MIS 2021).”

Ms Mohammed-Baloni disclosed that the state procured anti-malaria commodities through the state health supplies management agency worth about N300 million as part of the government’s commitment to the counterpart fund obligation to the State Malaria Elimination Programme.

She added that intersectoral, inter-agency and robust partner collaboration helped achieve integrated delivery of malaria services in the state.

She explained that “the Ministry of Works has completed the massive clearance of drains in our communities; this is to reduce the breeding of mosquitoes.

“We have also completed the distribution and monitoring of 269,040 ACTs, 260,000 RDTs, 3,333 artesunate injections and 19,450 ITNs across 1,064 public health facilities, including 29 secondary and tertiary hospitals in the state.

“Also, 72.2 per cent of clients who tested positive (RDT or Microscopy) to the parasite received treatment with ACTs in the first quarter of 2022.”

She said the ministry had a robust partnership with international and national donor organisations “and one of the 13 Global Fund (GF) supported states in Nigeria for the elimination of malaria.”

She said the 1,064 public health facilities in the state were supported to provide free malaria services to residents but urged the people to take responsibility for their environmental hygiene.

Ms Mohammed-Baloni also called on traditional leaders to advocate the correct use of insecticide-treated nets.

(NAN)