The Malaria Int’l Day is observed on 25th April every year to raise awareness of the global burden of malaria.
OBJECTIVES OF THE WORLD MALARIA DAY:
To renew political commitment and encourage continued investment in malaria prevention and control.
To engage media practitioners to create awareness and sensitize individuals, communities, partners and government as key stakeholders in the fight against Malaria.
Malaria remains a major cause of illness and death in the African region. It is a learning course of mobility and mortality in Nigeria, accounting for about 30% of childhood deaths and 11% of maternal deaths. It is estimated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that about 65 million cases occurred in Nigeria in 2020. It is also estimated that 169,290 death occur in Nigeria annually, 27% of global malaria death.
Furthermore, at least one billion USD is lost each year as a direct result of malaria infections making malaria a leading cause of poverty, low productivity, and reduced school attendance.
THE THEME FOR 2022 WORLD MALARIA COMMEMORATION IS “Advance equity; Build Resilience; End Malaria”.
In Gombe state, there are malaria commodity supplies in almost all Public Health Care facilities across the 114 wards the 11 LGAs. Over the years, the government of Gombe state has demonstrated continued cooperation to the control of malaria with collaboration from NMEP and Global funding in the following areas.
Routine distribution of Insecticide Treated Net (ITN) to pregnant women attending antenatal care and children under the age of 1 year who completed their immunization schedules.
Provision of Intermittent Preventive Treatment for Pregnant Women (IPTp) – Sulphadoxine Pyrimethamine (SP)
Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) for children between 3-to-59 months during the peak period of rainy season (targeting more than 800,000) children in 2022 in Gombe state every cycle).
Over 2.3 million Nets were distributed during 2021 ITN Mass Campaign across all communities in the state to prevent Malaria among the populace.
Provision of Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) Kits for testing of all fever cases that present to health care facilities.
Provision of Artemis in Based Combination Therapy (ACT) to 352 Public Health Care Facilities in the state.
Provision of Artesunate injection for treatment of severe malaria malaria in all Secondary and Tertiary Health Facilities
Training of about 600 service providers on the management of uncomplicated Malaria, Severe Malaria and malaria in pregnancy across the public Health in the state.
It is therefore important to STAND UP AND TAKE ACTION against Malaria. It is essential that we prevent Malaria by sleeping inside Long-Lasting Nets (LLINs); particularly, among pregnant women and children under 5 years old.
Furthermore, environmental management is also a collective responsibility; this includes effective refuse disposal and waste management covering of water storage containers, clearing of gutters.
On this note, on behalf of Gombe state Primary Health Care Development Agency (GSPHCDA) I implore all and sundry to make adequate use of the measures provided and visit Health Care Facilities whenever they experience fever to confirm if it is Malaria to access proper medication.
AFRICAN VACCINATION WEEK:
> African Vaccination week is an annual event celebrated during the last week of April together with the other WHO Regions.
> It is led and coordinated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Office for Africa.
> The goal of the AVW is to strengthen immunization programmes in the African Region by increasing awareness of the importance of every person’s need and right to be protected from vaccine preventable diseases.
> It aims at keeping immunization high on the state, national and regional agendas through advocacy and partnerships.
> It also promotes delivery of other high impact lifesaving interventions using Primary Health Care as a core integrated people centred approach.
Finally, I wish to reiterate that the War Against Malaria is one that must be won. Gombe state government is committed to the fight against Malaria and vaccine preventable diseases. We must therefore participate and support government at all levels in ensuring success of the campaign against Malaria.
The Gombe State Task Force on Immunization and PHC held it’s first quarter meeting of the year at the conference room of the Deputy Governor’s office yesterday the 12th of April, 2022.
During his opening remarks, the secretary of the state task force, Dr. Abdulrahman Shuaibu stated that the role of the task force amongst other is to provide leadership and coordination to all PHC activities and also ensure quality implementation of immunization campaigns in the state.
Executive Secretary – GSPHCDA
Dr. Shu’iabu noted that one of the main objectives of the meeting is to update the task force members on PHC performance in the first quarter of 2022. Partners from NPHCDA and WHO gave their good will messages and stated their commitment to ensure they support the state to improve its health outcomes.
The program Manager SERICC, and state coordinator WHO gave presentations on the state performance in the first quarter of 2022.
The Chairman of the task force, H.E, Dr. Manassah Daniel Jatau appreciated the SPHCDA and noted that the task force will continue to work towards improving PHC performance in the state. He charged the SPHCDA to come up with practical solutions towards achieving it’s target across PHC indicators.
Those present at the meeting include the Honorable commissioners of Health, Information, women affairs, representatives of traditional and religious groups, representatives of security agencies, directors and program officers of the SPHCDA, media organizations amongst others.
GSPHCDA organized a one-day orientation for Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers of all LGAs across Gombe. The orientation was aimed at improving the knowledge and skills of DSNOs towards disease surveillance response during outbreaks.
The orientation had in attendance the ES GSPHCDA, Dr Abdulrahman Shuaibu, W.H.O State Coordinator, Musa Wade, State Epidemiologist Dr Nuhu Bille, H.O.D Community Medicine, Dr Joshua Difa, PM SERICC, Musa Kuna and 11 DSNOs across the State.
The unit of the National Emergency Maternal and Child Health Intervention Center of the NPHCDA were in Gombe to partner with the State towards increasing demand for PHC services. The Director Community and Family Health, NPHCDA, Dr Chris led the team to the office of the ES SPHCDA, Dr Abdulrahman Shuaibu.
The team lead while describing the objectives of their visit stated that the main aim of the new intervention is to improve demand for maternal and child health services in the State. He commended the administration of his Excellency, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, The Executive Governor of Gombe State, in its drive towards improving health care delivery among the populace. He mentioned specifically the upgrade of the Village Health Workers, implementation of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, upgrade of health facilities amongst others as laudable achievements that will improve PHC demand among the populace.
The ES, GSPHCDA stated that the health sector has been revamped since the inception of the present administration. He noted that the utilization of PHCs by clients has improved remarkably, thus, reducing pressure on secondary health facilities. Dr Shuaibu expressed the state Government’s readiness to partner with the NPHCDA towards strengthening the health system in Gombe State.
The Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria (APHPN), Gombe state branch paid a courtesy visit to the E.S-GSPHCDA Dr. Abdulrahman Shu’iabu in his office. The chairman of the association, Dr. Danimoh Mustapha stated that they were at the state agency to discuss areas of collaboration between the association and the SPCHDA, adding that the association is ready to partner with the agency in the areas of research especially in public health and also in the implementation of public health interventions in order to improve the state health indicators.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary described the visit as timely which will provide an opportunity to tap from each other’s experience. He stated that, he has being looking forward to the partnership between the two organisations. He reiterated that public health is dynamic; hence require collaboration between NGOs, development partners etc, to address major challenges in the field. He also affirms that his doors are always open to support the association towards its effort in improving the health sector in the state
The administration of His Excellency, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya (Danmajen Gombe), the Excutive Governor of Gombe State has continued to improve access to health care service delivery across the state.
In Kuri Town, one of the most populous communities in Yamaltu Deba, which hitherto do not have access to basic health care, as a result of poor state of infrastructure and lack of basic equipment in the already existing primary health care facility; the administration of Inuwa Yahaya has already directed for an immediate upgrade of the facility and is almost at 90 percent completion.
The health facility will provide basic health services such as antenatal care, skilled birth delivery, post natal care, immunization and nutrition services amongst others. The health facilty will ultimately reduce the high maternal and child mortality in the community.
The health and well being of the people of Gombe state remains a top priority of the administration of His Excellency Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya. PROMISE MADE; PROMISE FULFILLED.
