Nigeria: The Edo State Ministry of Health has entered into a collaboration with the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP). The aim of the initiative is to work towards the elimination of Malaria from the state.
The organizations hosted the Annual Validation of the 2024 operational plan for the State Malaria Elimination Programme. The governor of the state has shared his appreciation for the health stakeholders’ efforts.
The Programme is responsible for the formulation and facilitation of policy and guidelines. The programme will work towards coordination of activities of partners and stakeholders, as well as support from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The Health Commissioner of Edo State was represented by the Director of Public Health, Dr. Stevenson Ojiefo, during the event. He appreciated the participants’ turnout at the event. Additionally, he also noted that the State Government is working extensively not only on reducing the prevalence of malaria in the State but in other aspects like lassa fever, amongst others.
In a statement signed by the Deputy Director of Public Health, Dr. Osagie Igbinigie, “The annual event is geared at reviewing and validating the Annual Malaria Operational Plan (MOP) for state malaria elimination programme.
MOP serves as a management tool and blueprint that translates strategic objectives into planned activities meant to move from one milestone to the other. It provides direction and focuses on the programme implementation.
The five-year plan which spans from 2021 to 2025 with five specific objectives which include:
- Improving utilisation of vector control interventions by 2025
- Ensuring the provision of chemo-prevention services to the population
- Improving the evidence generated from reliable data from all facilities to help decision-making
- Collaboration and strategic partnerships with different kinds of individuals in the private sector, as well as to mobilise resources and financial support.
The event was attended by a number of healthcare officials and stakeholders who talked about the various aspects of the malaria elimination plan. The State Health Promotion Officer, Dr Denyinye Hitler, made a presentation on the plans of the State Promotion Department of the Ministry of Health for the 2024 MOP.
He announced that there would be a pre-testing of materials, which would cut across all religious sects and different strata of society. The aim of this motive is to be able to ascertain the level of acceptability of the materials for the elimination of malaria before mass production, and dispatching of same would be done to avoid wastage of available resources due to possible rejection.